Human Rights Defender Omar Mestiri has been summoned to appear before the Court of First Instance in Tunis to answer charges of libel based on an article he wrote commenting on the reinstatement of a lawyer with strong political connections who had been previously struck off. Front Line believes the charges are politically motivated.

Posted 03/08/2007

On 7 July 2007, Omar Mestiri received a summons to appear on 2 August 2007 in front of the Court of First Instance of Tunis to respond to an action for libel entered by the lawyer Mohamed Baccar based on articles 42, 50, 53, 72 and 78 of the Press Code. The action rests on an article published on 5 September 2006 on Kalima in which Omar Mestiri reported on the surprising reinstatement of the lawyer, who is close to circles of power, who had been struck off the Bar Council following his conviction for fraudulent activities in several final judgements.

On 29 March last Omar Mestiri was interviewed in relation to this case by the Procurator of the Republic who centred his interrogation on the source that enabled Omar Mestiri to learn about this reinstatement and not on the accuracy of the facts. Omar Mestiri refused to name his sources, relying on his right as a journalist not to have to divulge the information. His lawyers have questioned the legal basis for the proceedings as well as the regulation of the facts, knowing that the Kalima site is blocked in Tunisia and its publication could, as a result, have no impact in Tunisia.

Front Line is of the opinion that these legal proceedings of which Omar Mestiri is victim are linked to his activities in the area of human rights.