Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Members of the TMG, which is on mission in Tunisia this week, also condemned the charges against journalist Fahem Boukadous as a political manoeuvre whose true aim is to silence criticism of Tunisian authorities.

The ban took place after the defense lawyer requested to summon one of the members of the ruling family to testify in the case.

BCHR expressed concern over the ban, which was issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture.

The Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of 20 IFEX members, has received reports of further harassment of Tunisian journalists working for independent media.

The official radio channel was broadcasting discussions of a report by a parliamentary committee investigating corruption and the use of state property.

The panels, which were scheduled for 8 March 2010, were organised by the French non-profit organisation Kitson.

In a joint submission to the UN Human Rights Council, 40 IFEX members protest resolutions on defamation of religion and the proposed elaboration of complementary standards to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Rights groups appeal to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to take up cases of free expression violations targetting Bahraini journalists, bloggers and human rights defenders in an upcoming visit to the country.