Tunisian journalists demonstrated on Thursday against “oppressive” anti-terrorism laws they say are used to intimidate the media after a journalist was imprisoned for five years earlier this week. Dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of the headquarters of the National Syndicate of Journalists in the capital, Tunis, chanting, “We are journalists, not terrorists” and “Freedom for the Tunisian press.” The gathering follows the court’s use of anti-terrorism laws on Tuesday to increase the prison sentence handed down to five years to Khalifa Al-Qasimi, a reporter for Radio Mosaique in Kairouan, after he appealed a one-year sentence handed down in November.
Tunisian journalists demonstrated on Thursday against “oppressive” anti-terrorism laws they say are used to intimidate the media after a journalist was imprisoned for five years earlier this week. Dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of the headquarters of the National Syndicate of Journalists in the capital, Tunis, chanting, “We are journalists, not terrorists” and “Freedom for the Tunisian press.” The gathering follows the court’s use of anti-terrorism laws on Tuesday to increase the prison sentence handed down to five years to Khalifa Al-Qasimi, a reporter for Radio Mosaique in Kairouan, after he appealed a one-year sentence handed down in November.
