Tunisia: Journalists and bloggers abducted, detained and jailed

English PEN strongly condemns the killings, mass arrests and disappearances of civilians including several journalists, bloggers, writers, lawyers and other activists across Tunisia during the course of the recent protests. We are deeply concerned by reports that at least twelve journalists and bloggers have been arrested for covering the protests and were particularly alarmed to learn of the disappearances of Nizar Ben Hassan, a blogger and journalist for Radio Kalima, and Hamma Hammami, the editor of the banned newspaper Albadil. Hassan and Hammami were abducted by the Special Unit of the Presidential Security and their whereabouts remain unknown. Both men are considered to be at risk of torture and ill-treatment and we are seriously concerned about their safety. English PEN considers these journalists to have been detained in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and calls on the Tunisian authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally. In the meantime, we respectfully urge the authorities to disclose the whereabouts of the abducted journalists, and seek assurances that they will not be ill treated while in detention.

According to our information, protests against unemployment and corruption were sparked in mid- December 2010. They have since spread across the country and reached the capital, following an incident involving an unemployed university graduate, Mohamed Bouazizi, who set himself on fire after police dismantled his fruit stall.

Over the past month, mass arrests have taken place throughout the country and security officers have reportedly responded with excessive force, using tear gas and live bullets to disperse demonstrators. Dozens of civilians have been killed and many more wounded. The internet and media had already been severely curtailed in recent years, but the Tunisian authorities have imposed even greater restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly in response to these recent events, whilst several newspapers and magazines have been confiscated and suspended including opposition newspapers Al-Mawkif and Al-Tariq al-Jadid, and the news broadcaster Al-Jazeera.

Among those arrested are journalists, bloggers, reporters and a popular rap singer, including:

- Blogger Azyz Amamy (Blog available here)
- Soufiane Chourabi, a reporter working for the opposition weekly Al-Tariq al-Jadid
- Hamadi Kaloutcha (Facebook page available here)
- Slim Amamou (Twitter feed availalbe here) 
- Ammar Amroussia, who covered the recent events in Sidi Bouzid for the banned newspaper Al-Badil
- Mouldi Zouabi, journalist for the online magazine Kalima
- Nibras Mahzeeli
- Mue’z al-Bai
- Mue’z Jama’I
- Rapper El Général – real name Hamada Ben Aoun, for his lyrics, ‘Tunis ya Bladne‘ (Tunis our Homeland)
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Useful links:

- Alert by Reporters Without Borders (7 January 2011)
- Urgent Action by Amnesty International (13 January 2010)
- Alert by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) (5 January 2011)
- Alert by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) (12 January 2011)
  
TAKE ACTION:

Please send appeals immediately (in French or Arabic if possible) to the Tunisian authorities:

- Condemning the arrest and detention of journalists and bloggers in violation of their right to freedom of expression;
- Calling on the Tunisian authorities to release journalists and bloggers, lawyers, activists and civilians immediately and unconditionally and to investigate the allegations of torture;
- Urging the Tunisian authorities to disclose the whereabouts of Nizar Ben Hassan and Hamma Hammami and guarantee them immediate access to their families and lawyers;  
- Calling for an end to the use of the Tunisian judiciary to stifle free expression and punish critical journalists.

APPEALS TO:

President
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
President
Palais Présidentiel
Tunis, Tunisia
Fax: 216 71 744 721

Minister of Justice and Human Rights
Lazhar Bououni
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights
31 Boulevard Bab Benat
1006 Tunis – La Kasbah
Tunisia
Fax: 216 71 568 106
Email: mju@ministeres.tn
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Interior
Ahmed Friaa
Ministry of Interior and Local Development
Avenue Habib Bourguiba
1000 Tunis, Tunisia
Fax: 216 71 340 888
Salutation: Your Excellency

Please also send copies of your appeal letters to the Tunisian Embassy in London:

His Excellency Hatem Atallah
29 Prince’s Gate
London
SW7 1QG