First Independent Mena Newspaper
Tunisian lawmakers are currently deliberating a controversial draft law that would allow the deportation of “irregular” migrants to their home countries, as tensions rise around anti-migrant sentiment and xenophobic conspiracy theories. This proposal comes after the Government claimed to have successfully repatriated over 7,000 migrants “voluntarily” last year. However, human rights groups have voiced concerns, […]
Human Rights Watch has denounced in its 2025 report the escalating repression of critical voices in Tunisia of Kais Saied, saying the authorities undermined the integrity of the October presidential election and carried out politically motivated arrests & arbitrary detentions of prospective challengers before the vote. “It is clear that Tunisian authorities deployed all their […]
Evoking the colonial origins of Algeria’s current borders is a taboo issue in Algeria that can send those who venture to tell the truth to jail. That was the fate of Boualem Sansal who said in an interview with a French TV channel that western territories of today’s Algeria have been part of Morocco. Sansal […]
The number of suicides among Tunisian migrants in Italian prisons has been rising, raising serious concerns. Former MP and civil society activist Majdi Karbai drew attention to this troubling trend end of December, following the death of a Tunisian migrant in Piacenza prison, located in northern Italy. Karbai, alongside Tunisian NGOs, has been sounding the […]
Seventeen Tunisian would-be migrants have been rescued from a stranded vessel in the Northern Region’s maritime waters and two bodies were recovered, the National Guard announced. The boat, which broke down at sea, had been carrying 19 individuals attempting an illegal crossing of the Mediterranean. Tragically, the body of one adult and a 5-year-old child […]
The Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) announced on Saturday December 28 its decision to maintain the key interest rate at 8%, following a meeting of its board of directors. This decision reflects the Bank’s cautious approach to stabilizing the economy while carefully navigating inflationary pressures and broader economic uncertainties. In its official statement, the BCT […]
On December 19, lawyer Abdel Sattar Al Massoudi announced that the Siliana Court of Appeals had dismissed charges in five cases against his client, Ayachi Zammel, a former presidential candidate in Tunisia’s recent elections. The decision represents a notable legal win for Zammel, who has faced widespread scrutiny over allegations tied to his candidacy. The […]
The head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, Mustafa Abdelkabir, has confirmed on December 17 the release of a second group of Tunisian nationals detained in Libya, who had been held for over two weeks on charges related to customs violations. These infractions stemmed from transporting goods in quantities exceeding the legally permitted limits. […]
Tunisian date exports have witnessed a significant growth entailing a surge in revenues. Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, who made the announcement reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to addressing challenges in the sector. He emphasized the importance of the national promotion program to bolster the competitiveness of Tunisian dates in existing markets while […]
The Tunisian General Consulate in Benghazi officially reopened its doors on December 4, marking a significant milestone in Libya-Tunisia relations after more than a decade of closure. This announcement was made by the eastern-based Libyan Foreign Ministry, which hailed the reopening as a reflection of Benghazi’s growing stability and security. The decision to restore diplomatic […]