Vigilance for Democracy and the Civic State

Rights groups urge the Moroccan authorities not to dispute the European Parliament’s recommendations to uphold freedom of expression, but rather to act accordingly to free all unfairly-imprisoned journalists who are spending years in prison on false charges.

Tunisian rights groups call a travel ban imposed on Moroccan historian and writer Maati Monjib “a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the law”.

Rights groups condemn continued incitement by opposition figures for foreign intervention into the country’s affairs, and the unabated attacks on journalists.

Reforming the democratic process will be doomed to failure if Tunisians are muzzled and journalists are denied the right to ethically and professionally do their job, say Tunisian rights groups.

Human rights groups from the region and around the world call on authorities in Egypt to immediately release journalists Hisham Fouad and Hossam Moanis, who have been held without trial since June 25, 2019.

A number of IFEX members join rights groups in welcoming the Tunisian government’s decision to rescind a controversial appointment to the country’s national news agency, Tunis Africa Press (TAP), and call on those who ordered a police attack on the agency’s journalists during a peaceful sit-in to be held accountable.

IFEX member Vigilance for Democracy and the Civic Space, and a coalition of Tunisian organizations, welcome the launch of a new human rights organization founded in memory of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and reiterate calls for an independent, international investigation into his brutal killing.

Tunisian organizations condemn the two-year prison sentence of Algerian journalist Abdelkrim Zeghileche, which comes amidst an ongoing campaign of repression against critics in Algeria and calls into question President Tebboune’s pledge for political reform.