Tunis — The National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) denounced the 6- month prison sentence handed down to journalist Mohamed Boughaleb on Wednesday evening, following a complaint lodged against him by an official of the Religious Affairs Ministry.
The union said it would appeal against the sentence, which it described as "unjust".
In a statement issued on Thursday, the SNJT added that "this verdict is part of the ongoing dangerous practices of the judiciary in dealing with cases related to freedom of expression and freedom of the press".
The SNJT warned against "the serious deviation of the judicial power from its main role in preserving the rights and freedoms of journalists in Tunisia."
The union stressed that the prison sentence for Mohamed Boughalleb is the third court decision in three months to sentence a journalist to prison.
According to the union, this is an attack on the role of the media as a watchdog on the work of state institutions and on the right of citizens to a free, professional and pluralistic media.
Boughalleb was convicted under Article 128 of the Penal Code for "accusing a public official of illegal acts without providing evidence to justify his accusations".
Journalist Mohamed Boughalleb was sentenced on Wednesday to six months in prison for insulting others on social media and accusing a public official of illegal acts.
