A Tunisian court on Thursday sentenced two prominent Journalists, Bohran Bssaies and Mourad Zghidi, to three and a half years in prison on tax evasion charges, a ruling their families say is politically motivated and aimed at punishing independent reporting.
The journalists, who worked with local radio station IFM, have been in detention since 2024. They were initially jailed for eight months after being convicted of spreading false news and insulting the president, before being placed in pre-trial detention over the tax-related case.
President Kais Saied has repeatedly denied allegations that his administration is curtailing press freedom or targeting critical voices in the media.
Reacting to the verdict, Zghidi’s sister, Maryem Zghidi, said the family was shocked by the court’s decision, describing the charges as unfounded and punitive.
“The ruling is an attack on the press and freedom of expression,” she said, adding that authorities were attempting to silence her brother’s voice. She stressed that the family would not remain silent.
The families of both Journalists are expected to appeal the conviction.
Human rights groups and government critics argue that Tunisia has witnessed a sustained crackdown on dissent since Saied began ruling by decree in 2021. According to them, opposition politicians, Journalists, and civil society activists have increasingly faced arrests, prosecutions and imprisonment.
The case has further intensified concerns over the state of media freedom and democratic space in the North African country.
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