Tunisia: CPJ, Partners Call On EU to Review Approach Toward Tunisia Amid Critical Human Rights Decline

26 June 2026
Committee to Protect Journalists (New York)

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 original article on CPJ.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2026 Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.