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Alert

Harassment of journalist's family continues

(OLPEC/IFEX) - The following is an abridged translation of a 15 March 2006 statement by the Conseil National pour les Libertés en Tunisie (CNLT), of which OLPEC is a member:

On 13 March 2006, Mohamed Taieb Jallali, a former opposition deputy known for taking positions against unjust laws and a member of the CNLT, recently received an envelope containing a video cassette with pornographic material in which he featured. The anonymous package delivered by courier on 7 March also contained information stating that the video will be broadcast widely, while also indicating that it did not come from the police.

Jallali and his wife, Naziha Rjiba, editor-in chief of "Kalima" newspaper and vice-president of OLPEC, were informed on 5 December 2005 via text messages (SMS) that reprisals against her and her family were being prepared. Jallali's office has recently been the target of strict surveillance by the police and his telephone lines have also been tapped. He has since filed a complaint with the state prosecutor's office for harassment and damage to his reputation.

The same week, numerous Tunisian citizens received via e-mail, pornographic photos of the daughter of Neila Cherchour Hachicha, founder of the Mediterranean Liberal Party (PLM). An indecent campaign was also launched against Ahmed Kedidid, a former political leader, by "Al Hadeth", a newspaper specialized in slander, directed and financed by the special services of the Ministry for the Interior (MI).