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Sihem Bensedrine

Tunisia: Arbitrary detention and interrogation of human rights defenders Sihem Bensedrine and Omar Mestiri

On 18 June 2008, Sihem Bensedrine and Omar Mestiri were stopped at the Tunisian-Algerian border while on their way to an event in Algeria to promote freedom of expression in the region. They were interrogated for approximately two and a half hours before being released. No reasons were given for their interrogation. Omar Mestiri is the chief editor of the online newspaper Kalima and Sihem Bensedrine is the founder and spokesperson of the Conseil national pour les libertés en Tunisie (CNLT) (National Council for Civil Liberties in Tunisia) and the Secretary-General for the Observatoire pour la Liberté de presse, d'édition et de création en Tunisie (OLPEC) (Observatory for the Freedom of the Press, Publication, and the Arts in Tunisia). On 7 February 2008, Sihem Bensedrine was awarded the 2008 Peace Prize by the Danish Peace Foundation.  Read More

Tunisia: Arbitrary detention and assault of human rights defenders Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine

On 3 March 2008 at 8.15am, Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine were returning to Tunis from a trip to Europe when they were subjected to a full-body search on their arrival at the port of La Goulette. Members of the Tunisian Political Police requested that they follow them to the customs office, on the pretext of fulfilling an administrative formality. Once inside the office, the policemen reportedly locked the door and Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine were detained for six hours, during which time they were subject to beatings while their clothes were damaged and their bags torn open. The policemen reportedly confiscated their mobile phones and their bank cards. Several original documents were taken and the policemen also made copies of the hard discs of their lap-top computers. Sihem Bensedrine is currently suffering from a sprained wrist and an injury to her elbow as a result of the assault.  Read More

Freedom of Expression in Tunisia remain under siege

ARTICLE 19 has made a joint appeal to incoming UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to remind the Government of Tunisia of its international obligations. Freedom of expression is severely curtailed in Tunisia and writers, journalists, editors and human rights defenders face ongoing harassment.

Read more and join the appeal to end freedom of expression restrictions in Tunisia

JOINT ACTION

22nd January 2007

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN TUNISIA STILL UNDER SIEGE OVER ONE YEAR AFTER WSIS

Hosting the United Nations-sponsored World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia, a country where repression of human rights - in particular freedom of expression - is rampant, remains controversial. Kofi Annan, then Secretary-General of the UN, stated that the holding of the WSIS in Tunisia offered "a good opportunity for the Government of Tunisia to address various human rights concerns, including those related to freedom of opinion and expression." More than one year after the WSIS was held in Tunisia, the Tunisian government has clearly failed to do this, according to members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG).  Read More

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