June 22 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Tunisian authorities have released this Thursday the prominent journalist Zied el Heni, arrested on Tuesday after criticizing an article of the Criminal Code on insulting the president, amid increased repression against opponents, journalists and activists in the African country.
The journalist was summoned the day before to appear before the Fifth Central Division –destined to combat crimes related to information and communication technologies– following critical comments during a radio broadcast.
El Heni himself has denounced after his release “a judicial farce” and has said that “it is a stupid attempt at intimidation.” “They want to shut me up,” he said, as reported by the Tunisian station Mosaique FM.
“I want to send a message to the person behind my arrest. You made the wrong decision, since you are not dealing with Zied el Heni, but with an entire profession, with many journalists attached to their independence and freedom,” he said.
The Tunisian authorities have detained dozens of opponents and activists in recent months and have even ordered the suspension of operations of the main opposition party, Ennahda. In this context, the Tunisian Anti-Terrorist Judicial Center Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation at the beginning of June against 21 opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied, who were accused of conspiring against state security.
The opposition, mainly united around the National Salvation Front, which includes Ennahda -which had the majority in the Parliament suspended in July 2021-, has denounced the authoritarian drift of the president and has demanded his resignation, especially after his call for a boycott in the December and January legislatures resulted in a participation rate close to ten percent.
