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A prominent Tunisian journalist, Zied el-Heni, was arrested on Monday after publicly criticising court rulings against his colleagues and the judges who issued them.
El-Heni, a veteran figure of the Arab Spring uprising that ousted Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was taken into custody for allegedly causing “harm to others” through his commentary.
His lawyer, Samir Dilou, stated that the arrest follows an investigation into remarks made in early April, where el-Heni described the conviction of fellow journalists as “unjust” and labelled the presiding judges “criminals.”
The prosecution is pursuing charges under a telecommunications law that penalises anyone who uses public networks to disturb the peace or damage reputations, a crime that carries a potential two-year prison sentence.
El-Heni is scheduled to appear in a Tunis court on April 30.
This legal action marks the latest development in what human rights organisations describe as a sharp decline in civil liberties since President Kais Saied’s 2021 power grab.
Since the 2021 transition, dozens of political critics and media professionals have been imprisoned, leading to international concern over the regression of democratic freedoms in Tunisia.
El-Heni has long been a vocal critic of President Saied, and his arrest is being viewed by activists as part of a broader crackdown on dissent.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case continues to highlight the growing tension between the Tunisian judiciary and the country’s press corps.
