First Independent Mena Newspaper
Human Rights Watch has called on Tunisian authorities to drop what it described as “unfounded charges” against five employees of the Tunisian Council for Refugees, who went on trial on Nov 24, amid an escalating crackdown on civil society groups. The rights watchdog also urged the immediate release of two staff members who have been […]
Algeria has fostered its grip on impoverished Tunisia, worsening the dependence of its fragile neighbor on gas rent in a bilateral relationship that constrained Tunisia’s diplomacy, a recent Chatham House op-ed showed. Tunisia’s recent trajectory marks a profound shift in Maghreb geopolitics, Safae El Yaacoubi wrote in the Op-ed, adding that “power in the region […]
Tunisia’s trade deficit reached 18,435.8 million dinars (MD) by the end of October 2025, up from 15,716.4 MD over the same period in 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The coverage rate fell to 73.9% compared with 76.7% last year. The deficit was primarily driven by energy (-9,181.5 MD), raw materials and […]
Tunisia’s draft State budget for 2026 has earmarked approximately 6,304.8 million dinars for the Ministry of Interior, reflecting a 5 percent increase — or 309 million dinars more — than in 2025. According to a report presented during the parliamentary session of the Defense, Security, and Legal Affairs Committees, the ministry’s expenditure breakdown includes 4,160.8 […]
Tunisia is witnessing a troubling escalation in authoritarian practices, marked by hunger strikes, expedited trials, and a crackdown on civil society, according to repeated alerts from human rights organizations and independent media. Despite mounting concerns, President Kaïs Saïed’s administration appears increasingly unresponsive to criticism, deepening fears of democratic backsliding. The suspension of the Tunis office […]
Tunisia has become increasingly unsafe for refugees and migrants, particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa, amid a surge in human rights violations that Amnesty International says amount to a dangerous dismantling of protections and a humanitarian crisis. In a newly released report titled “Nobody Hears You When You Scream: Dangerous Shift in Tunisia’s Migration Policy”, Amnesty International […]
Tunisian bank workers commenced a two-day strike on Monday, disrupting all financial transactions as they pressed for wage increases. The action, organized by the influential UGTT union, followed the collapse of negotiations with the banking Council, which represents both public and private banks. Long queues formed at cash machines, though many appeared to be malfunctioning, […]
According to data released on Tuesday by Tunisia’s National Agriculture Office (ONAGRI), olive oil export revenues reached 3.6 billion dinars between November 2024 and the end of September 2025 – a 28.4% decline compared to the same period in the previous campaign. The share of packaged olive oil in total revenues remains low at 21.4%. […]
Algeria’s shaky regime grips Tunisia like a lifeline, preferring a compliant neighbour to a competitive one; it now treats the country as a de facto wilaya and backs Kaïs Saïed’s tenure to keep Tunis under its influence, says the NY-based Geopolitics magazine. Algeria is locked in an archaic rent-seeking system nurtured by anti-Moroccan nationalism. It […]
Tunisia’s suspension of the country’s leading migrant rights group has sent shockwaves through civil society, deepening fears about the country’s slide into authoritarianism while migrants bear the brunt of the crackdown. The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), long a lifeline for migrants and refugees, was ordered to halt operations for a month […]