Tunisian authorities released Al Jazeera reporter Samir Sassi on Friday, two days after he was arrested under undisclosed grounds, as confirmed by his lawyer. Sassi, 55, had been taken into custody on Wednesday following a police raid on his residence, during which electronic devices were seized.
Lotfi Hajji, Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Tunis, reported the arrest but noted that there has been no official comment from Tunisian authorities regarding the reasons for Sassi’s detention. The journalist’s lawyer, Ayachi Hammami, was unable to confirm whether criminal charges were pending against Sassi.
Tunisia has faced criticism for a perceived crackdown on freedom of speech, including the arrest of more than 30 journalists in 2023, according to the International Federation of Journalists. Local media in the North African country suggested that Sassi was suspected of “membership in a terrorist group” and had alleged links to President Kais Saied’s political rival, the Ennahdha party.
Zied El Heni, another Tunisian journalist, was placed in police custody on Monday while awaiting trial for criticizing Tunisian Commerce Minister Kalthoum Ben Rejeb on his radio show.
Zied Dabbar, president of the Tunisian press union SNJT, condemned what he described as “pure intimidation” by authorities and expressed concern over increasing violations of media freedoms, deeming them “scandalous and worrying.”
Al Jazeera’s bureau in Tunisia had been closed since President Saied’s rapid power consolidation in July 2021. However, the network’s journalists remained accredited and continued their coverage. The closure of the bureau was not accompanied by an official explanation from the authorities.
Last year, United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk expressed deep concern over the crackdown on media in Tunisia, highlighting the use of vaguely worded legislation to criminalize criticism. Currently, 17 journalists in Tunisia are facing trial, with two of them still in detention, according to local media reports.
