Tunisia: Judge releases journalist Mohamed Boughalleb amid growing concerns over press freedom

A Tunisian judge has granted on February 20 the release of prominent journalist Mohamed Boughalleb, a known critic of President Kais Saied, according to his lawyer. This decision is seen as a hopeful sign by opposition groups, who believe it could pave the way for the release of other imprisoned figures from the opposition and media.

On the same day, former minister Riadh Mouakhar was also set free, following the release of Sihem Ben Sedrine, a veteran politician and head of the Truth and Dignity Commission, who had been detained for several months.

The timing of these releases comes shortly after a call by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, who urged Tunisia to cease the ongoing arrests, arbitrary detentions, and imprisonment of human rights defenders, journalists, and politicians. Despite these developments, many senior political figures, such as Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, the head of the Ennahda party, remain incarcerated since 2023.

Boughalleb was detained last year on charges of insulting a public official, a move that the journalists’ union has condemned as part of a broader effort to silence media voices critical of the government.

While Tunisia has long prided itself on press freedom since its 2011 revolution, this hard-won right now faces increasing challenges under Saied’s rule. The president, who assumed sweeping powers in 2021 after dissolving the elected parliament and consolidating control over the judiciary, has rejected accusations of authoritarianism, claiming that he is not aiming to become a dictator. However, critics argue that his actions threaten the media’s independence and undermine the democratic gains made in the years following the revolution.