Maghreb Edition

Tunisia arrests editor of news website EchahedF

Posted On 17 June 2022

Number of times this article was read : 375
The head of a news website close to Tunisia’s Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party has been arrested over alleged links to a company accused of conspiring against the state, his lawyer said Friday.  Lotfi Hidouri, editor in chief of Achahed, was placed in custody on Thursday over financial dealings between a firm which finances his site and Instalingo, a digital content provider, Samir Ben Amor told AFP.
Local media say Instalingo, which has been under investigation since 2021, stands accused of “plotting against the security of the state” and inciting violence.  Ennahdha was the leading force in Tunisia’s parliament which was dissolved last July in a power grab by President Kais Saied.  The lawyer said Hidouri had “no administrative authority” over the website that could justify his detention, which he condemned as “yet another crime” in the wake of Saied’s power grab.
A Tunisian military court on June 11 placed another journalist critical of Saied in custody after he made comments about the army during a television broadcast.  The national journalists’ union, the SNJT, has condemned authorities’ attempts to “tame” media outlets and turn them into propaganda channels.
AFP

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply$

The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is expanding across the Middle East, with growing consequences for global energy markets and regional security. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about supply stability. As missile exchanges intensify and fighting spreads to Lebanon, world leaders are scrambling to assess the economic fallout and prevent further escalation.

West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure$

Jihadist attacks in northern Benin have intensified in recent weeks, with militants linked to JNIM claiming a deadly assault on a military position near the Niger border and carrying out additional raids on security posts along the country’s volatile frontiers with Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The violence underscores how northern Benin has become part of a wider cross-border insurgency spilling south from the central Sahel, even as authorities bolster Operation Mirador and try to prevent armed groups from entrenching themselves on Beninese soil.

Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa$

Small desert locust swarms recently detected along the western Sahara corridor have prompted stepped-up monitoring across parts of North and West Africa, where shifting rainfall can quickly turn quiet desert areas into launchpads for wider infestations.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.