Tunisia: the director of Mosaïque FM radio in prison
Tunisian journalists gathered in Tunis for a demonstration for press freedom on February 16, 2023, four days after the arrest of Noureddine Boutar, the general manager of Mosaïque FM.
AP - Hassene Dridi
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
In Tunisia, the investigating judge at the economic and financial judicial center issued, late in the evening of Monday, a warrant of committal against Noureddine Boutar, the general manager of Mosaïque FM radio.
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The general manager of Mosaïque FM radio, Noureddine Boutar, was arrested on February 13, 2023. According to his lawyers, his pre-trial detention could last fourteen months, the maximum duration that the investigations could take.
It was after three hours of contradictory debates that the judge issued the warrant of committal to the general surprise of Noureddine Boutar's lawyers.
Empty folder
They believe that the file is empty and that there is no evidence against their client.
They consider that the fact of bringing him before the economic and financial judicial pole is only a "
cover used to not show that we are directly targeting freedom of expression and freedom of the press
".
Ayoub Ghedamsi, lawyer and member of the Tunisian League for Human Rights deplores this decision: "
The opening of an investigation against Noureddine Boutar is based on a security report containing false data that could be described as misleading and not accompanied by evidence.
This report claims that Boutar uses Mosaïque FM's income in order to influence its editorial line to "offend against the highest authority of the state" and to "conspire against state security"
.
“
Attack on freedom of the press
”
"
Charges that are not at all founded
," he said again.
We considered this to be an attack on freedom of the press, which constitutes a real threat to any media that could criticize the political situation in the country.
We considered that Mosaïque FM pays the tribute of its editorial line and its free and critical positions for ten years vis-à-vis power, whatever it may be.
Today, we are faced with a clear targeting of an editorial line which has chosen neutrality and the principle of non-alignment with authority, while making positive criticism
, ”concludes Ayoub Ghedamsi.
►Also read
: Tunisia: Mosaïque FM does not want to change anything despite the arrest of its director
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Kais Saied