Tunis: The National Union of Tunisian Journlists (SNJT) considered that the restrictions imposed on journalists have become “systematic,” as it criticised the practices of certain police officers, who continue to demand authorisations from journalists that are not provided for by law.
In a statement released Wednesday, the union said its executive committee will review the usefulness of its partnership with the Ministry of Interior on the safety of journalists next week.
It added that this partnership, which has been in place since October 2017, has “become meaningless” and not effective enough in preventing repeated security attacks on journalists.
The union warned against the adoption by the Ministry of the Interior of the criterion of national security without taking into account the criteria of relativity and necessity, which, according to the union, “represents a real danger to the nature of journalistic work and its effectiveness.”
The union called on the Ministry to honour its commitments to journa
lists and not to resort to illegal means to obstruct their work, and urged the Ministry to review its policy in this regard.
It raised the issue of the arbitrary arrest on Wednesday of Malek Mahwechi, a photographer of the TAP news agency, while covering a fire in the Sidi Abdessalem neighbourhood of Tunis.
The officers took the photographer to the El Omrane security station, even though he was in possession of a professional card.
The union said it had intervened to have the photographer released, pointing out that no prior authorisation is required to take photographs in public places.
It added that the police had twice prevented the ‘New Media’ website team from filming in the Bab Bhar area.
The last two weeks have been marked by a series of attacks on journalists covering the crisis of irregular migrants in El Amra (Sfax governorate), the SNJT further said.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse