(IFEX-TMG) – The following is an IFEX-TMG press release: Zouhair Yahyaoui: human rights defender It is with a sense of shock and profound sadness that we have received news of the departure of Zouhair Yahyaoui, a genuine fighter for human rights and freedom of expression. Zouhair was the founder and editor of the satirical website […]
(IFEX-TMG) – The following is an IFEX-TMG press release:
Zouhair Yahyaoui: human rights defender
It is with a sense of shock and profound sadness that we have received news of the departure of Zouhair Yahyaoui, a genuine fighter for human rights and freedom of expression.
Zouhair was the founder and editor of the satirical website TUNeZINE and internationally respected as a human rights defender. He was imprisoned for his activities by the Tunisian regime on 4 June 2002 and was not released until November 2003 after an international campaign of solidarity. After his release he continued to publish http://www.tunezine.com and to speak out on human rights. He died suddenly of a heart attack on 13 March 2005. He was 36 years old.
We, members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange Tunisia Monitoring Group (IFEX-TMG), came to know Zouhair as a moral and courageous man who shared our struggle for freedom of speech and against repression. He was an inspiration to many and an activist of international stature. Only last month, at a meeting of the United Nations in Geneva, Zouhair was in fine form when he spoke bravely on the state of freedom of expression, censorship and the repression of human rights in Tunisia.
In January, members of the IFEX Tunisia Monitoring Group mission met with Zouhair. As we sat in a cafe in Tunis under the watchful eye of the political police, he gave extensive testimony of his experience as a cyber-dissident in which he spoke of harassment, imprisonment and torture. When asked about his future plans, Zouhair replied without hesitation. He said “I am waiting for the fall of the Dictator”.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family, to his companion Sophie and to his close friends.
Steve Buckley, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
Carl Morten Iversen, Norwegian PEN
Kajsa Törnroth, World Association of Newspapers
D. M Baya Tshimanga, Journaliste en danger
Rohan Jayasekera, Index on Censorship
Luckson Chipare, Media Institute of Southern Africa
Sara Whyatt, International PEN Writers in Prison Committee
Rod Macdonell, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Alexis Krikorian, International Publishers Association
Hafez Abu Seada, Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
Toby Mendel, ARTICLE 19
Mark Bench, World Press Freedom Committee
Kamel Labidi, Advisor to IFEX-TMG
