Human rights activists criticize media censorship in Tunisia

Tue, 28 Dec 2010

Paris - Several human rights organizations on Tuesday strongly criticized censorship and police violence against journalists in Tunisia after clashes between police and demonstrators there.

The government has imposed a complete news blackout on the region of Sidi Bouzid since mid-December, when the attempted suicide of a young fruit vendor arrested for not having the right permits triggered a wave of protests, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) said.

The area is reportedly suffering from widespread youth unemployment.

According to the International Federation for Human Rights, two people have been killed and a further 10 injured.

Journalists who wanted to report on the demonstrations, some of which turned into riots, were arrested.

In one case a journalist was beaten in his flat, RWB said.

Security forces have sealed off the whole region and official media has reported that the protests are merely unconfirmed rumors.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/359956,criticize-media-censorship-tunisia.html.