Call for immediate halt to harassment of journalist Slim Boukhdir

Reporters Without Borders condemns a sudden reinforcement in the police surveillance to which independent journalist Slim Boukhdir has been subjected since his release from prison last July. Plain-clothes police have been closely watching everything he has done for the past few days and his family is also being kept under surveillance. The press freedom organisation calls for an immediate halt to these practices and deplores the fact that independent Tunisian journalists can be subjected to such a degree of harassment on the decision of police officials. “The Tunisian government cannot go on obstructing the work of journalists like this,” the organisation said. “Their independence and their freedom are what guarantee a stable and peaceful society.” On 19 January, three plain-clothes policemen got out of car with no number plates and followed Boukhdir from the time he left an Internet café near his home in a south Tunis suburb until he returned to his home at around 8 pm. When his lawyer, Abderraouf el Ayadi, arrived at the house, they suspended their surveillance, but returned at around 10 pm. There were always two plain-clothes policemen near his home on the mornings of 20 and 21 January. His lawyer and journalist friends who visited him in a show of support all confirmed that men in civilian dress were spying on the house. Boukhdir has on several occasions been threatened with being sent back to prison or with physical violence if he does not stop his “dissident” journalistic activities. His family has also been subjected to intimidation. On 13 January, for example, his wife's home in Sfax (270 km south of Tunis) was placed under surveillance. On 19 January, she received an insulting message on her mobile phone from an unknown number. With his lawyer's help, Boukhdir is planning to bring a legal action against the, as yet, unidentified person who sent the message, and against those who are watching his home and his activities. Arrested on 26 November 2007, Boukhdir was sentenced to a year in prison on trumped-up charges of “insulting behaviour towards an official in the exercise of his duty,” “violating decency” and “refusing to produce identity papers.” He was released on 21 July 2008. Tunisia was ranked 143rd out of 173 countries in the latest Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.