Tunisia - According to its most recent report prepared by the monitoring unit of the Professional Safety Center of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists in collaboration with UNESCO, 17 journalists were attacked in May 2022.

Four women journalists were attacked

The report released on June 14 also includes the online attacks on social media platforms.  Four women journalists and three media institutions were attacked in May, the report says. The journalists and photographers who were victims of the attacks work for 15 media institutions, including five TV channels, four websites, three radio stations, one written newspaper and one news agency. The journalists and photographers were attacked while covering political, agricultural, security and social issues.

Journalists were subjected to five harassments, four incitement and censorship three times. They were also subjected to verbal assault, arbitrary detention, imprisonment, judicial prosecution, and ban from reporting. They were subjected to four online attacks and 11 attacks on the ground.

Locations where journalists were attacked

11 attacks against journalists were recorded in the Tunis governorate while other attacks were recorded in Kairouan, Manouba, Ben Arous, Ariana, El Kef and Nabeul, the report said.

Call on judicial authorities and journalists

In the report, the Syndicate called on the judicial authorities to implement the Decree-law no 115 relating to the freedom of the press, printing and publishing forbid all kinds of restrictions on the free circulation of information and any actions that might undermine the dignity or physical or moral integrity of journalists.

The syndicate also called on journalists and photographers to report every attack against them to the monitoring unit of the Professional Safety Center of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists while performing their profession and to file lawsuits against anyone who uses physical and psychological violence against them.