The concerns of human rights organizations and associations over the gains of freedom and human rights are rising noticeably against the background of the suspension of media professionals and the resort to military trials, coinciding with the launch of Presidential Decree 117, according to which the President of the Republic organized public powers and held the executive and legislative powers.“The deterioration of the situation of freedoms”The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists said in a statement on Wednesday evening, October 6, 2021, that it is following with great concern the deterioration of the situation of freedoms in the country and the escalation of attacks and prosecutions, especially recent referrals to the military judiciary against the background of opinions and ideas, which would undermine the gains of the revolution and the foundations of the civil state and the values of democracy and pluralism. Diversity, according to the text of the statement.
The Journalists Syndicate expressed its absolute rejection of military trials of civilians against the background of their opinions, positions and publications, considering this a setback for freedom of expression and a blow to democracy and the right to disagree.
It also affirmed its total refusal to track journalists and opinion-holders against the background of their opinions and ideas, and the Syndicate considers that professional errors and publishing issues are the domain of the amendment bodies of the profession and Decree 115 of the press, printing and publishing, reiterating its adherence to Decree-Law 115 and 116 as the only framework for organizing the profession.It condemned the campaigns of distortion, demonization, and electronic stalking of those with dissenting opinions by parties that present themselves as being supportive of the President of the Republic. Holding the President of the Republic responsible for any setback in the course of public and individual rights and freedoms. She also warned of the danger of returning to the square of restrictions and muzzling, calling on his father to activate his previous pledges to guarantee rights and freedoms.
Serious indications
In a related context, the official spokesman for the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, Romdhan Ben Omar, confirmed to “JDD Tunisie” that the forum and the rest of the human rights organizations are concerned about the high level of violations, especially with regard to the trial of civilians before the military judicial circuits, considering it a serious threat to freedoms.
In the same context, he added that the prosecution of journalists and media professionals in violation of the legislation regulating the profession is a dangerous indication of the deterioration of the reality of freedom of expression and unjustified restrictions that may have dire consequences.
He pointed out that the President of the Republic’s failure to present an idea of the next stage, and the absence of a time limit on the exceptional situation, doubles the fears of jurists, especially with the possibility of social tension due to the difficult economic situation.”I am afraid “For his part, the Vice-President of the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights, Bassam Trifi, said in an interview with Radio Mosaique that he is personally afraid and there is a state of concern because the assembly of the President of the Republic, Kais Saied, of the authorities is unsupervised and fearful, calling on Saied to introduce a new decree according to which the Commission will speak Monitoring of ordinances.
