On Friday, the Committee to Protect Journalists and five other press freedom and human rights organizations sent a joint letter to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calling for an immediate change in the EU’s approach toward Tunisia due to a severe human rights decline.
The signatories urged von der Leyen to condemn the crackdown on free speech and to press for the release of those who have been wrongfully incarcerated, including journalists.
Several members of the press, including Mourad Zghidi, Borhen Bsaies, and Zied el-Heni remain imprisoned in Tunisia solely for exercising their right to report. Two other journalists, Ghassen Ben Khelifa and Khaoula Boukrim, were sentenced to two and four years in prison consecutively.
Others, like lawyer and media commentator Sonia Dahmani, CPJ’s 2025 International Press Freedom Award honoree, continue to face judicial harassment despite her release from prison in November following the adoption of a European Parliament resolution.
Read the full letter in English.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.
CPJ Staff | Radio Free (2026-06-26T10:18:16+00:00) CPJ, partners call on EU to review approach toward Tunisia amid critical human rights decline. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2026/06/26/cpj-partners-call-on-eu-to-review-approach-toward-tunisia-amid-critical-human-rights-decline/
Please log in to upload a file.
There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.