Tunisia journalists protest Mohamed Yousfi arrest

Dozens of journalists protested in Tunisia on September 8 over the detention of Mohamed Yousfi, editor-in-chief of the Alqatiba website, on money-laundering charges that his lawyer said were unfounded.

Yousfi was detained on September 4 when he arrived for a radio interview in Tunis and has remained in custody. His lawyer, Hela Ben Salem, said prosecutors accused him of receiving suspicious funds from abroad under anti-terror and illicit enrichment laws, but she said the case contained “no concrete evidence” of wrongdoing.

The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists said Yousfi's health deteriorated while in detention after he underwent surgery for appendicitis following his arrest. The syndicate also said members of his defence team had to leave an interrogation to bring him medication while he was in pain.

Zied Dabbar, head of the syndicate, said Yousfi's arrest was part of a broader crackdown on journalists in Tunisia. “We are faced with clear scenarios: prison, prosecution or exile,” he said.

Reporters Without Borders North Africa director Oussama Bouagila said there was “nothing in the case to justify the continued detention of Yousfi” and called for his immediate release. He said the accusation was based on a post that did not mention Yousfi's name and that the detention came during what he called a smear campaign aimed at silencing him.

Alqatiba is an independent Tunisian media outlet known for investigative reporting and long-form coverage of political, economic, social and environmental issues. Dabbar previously said Yousfi had been due to discuss water issues in Tunisia during the radio interview.

Press freedom groups have raised concerns over civil liberties in Tunisia, where journalists, lawyers, opposition figures and activists have faced arrest and prosecution in recent years. Rights groups have criticised a rollback of freedoms since President Kais Saied's 2021 power grab, and many people, including journalists, are behind bars or facing prosecution under a 2022 law banning “spreading false news”.