Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

Many media workers were reportedly detained, charged and, in a few cases, attacked by police.

Independent journalists, including Taoufik Bouachrine and Ali Amar, are increasingly being targeted by the authorities.

CJFE calls on Iran to release award-winning journalist Jila Baniyaghoub, who was recently sentenced to one year in jail and a 30-year ban on writing after she reported on the 2009 Iranian elections.

The report points to the connection between the Air India bombing and the attempted and subsequent murder of journalist Tara Singh Hayer.

The IFEX-TMG, a coalition of 20 IFEX members, condemns the Tunisian Chamber of Deputies’ adoption of a new law hastily tailored to stifle freedom of expression both inside and outside the country.

“This decision means the reasons for a judge’s decision whether or not to grant bail cannot be available for public scrutiny until the trial is over, often years later,” CJFE said.

Following a recent mission, members of the TMG concluded in their new report that Tunisia needs a truly independent judiciary to reverse its worsening record on human rights and treatment of prisoners of opinion.

Members of the TMG invite the Washington Media Group to take the opportunity of its new relationship with Tunisia to point out to the government that the best way to improve its image abroad is to bring its practices up to international standards of basic human rights.