TUNISIA_ In the post-revolution years, Tunisia recorded advanced rankings indicating the vitality of the media scene, but its ranking declined rapidly, reaching 137th globally out of 180 countries in the press freedom index, classified among the countries experiencing a difficult situation.

Jihane Al-Lawati, a member of the executive office of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists, said that the Tunisian press is living a "real setback" amid the targeting of journalists, and the spread of economic and social crises and digital harassment.

She confirmed that Decree 54 represents "a blow to all free voices" in the country, as it contributed to the arrest and detention of a large number of journalists and Tunisian citizens. "We have seen in the recent period the large number of young people who were referred in light of this decree."

Decree 115 and the Right to Access Information

Jihane Al-Lawati stressed that male and female journalists are committed to Decree 115, as a special law that protects the profession and guarantees the right to access information, confirming that journalists are not above the law, but enjoy protection while performing their role in holding authorities accountable and defending the constitutional right to information.

She wondered about the reality of journalists before Tunisian courts, where they face Decree 54 or the old Communications Code, which dates back to the Ben Ali era, noting that the Journalists' Syndicate confirms the necessity of adopting the special law as the legal framework that should be applied.

A Crisis Situation in Private, Associative, and Public Media

Jihane Al-Lawati explained that the situation of the press today in Tunisia "is going from bad to worse," as the economic and social situation of journalists is in crisis.

Regarding private and associative media, she believes there is a "stifling" economic crisis at the level of advertising and publicity, in addition to a wage crisis. "We notice in the last decade that businessmen who used to invest in the media field are today showing great reluctance, given that this field has become fraught with risks."

As for public media, she pointed to the existence of pressures and harassment targeting journalists and free voices, despite the continuation of an internal struggle to preserve the independence of media institutions, amid attempts by successive governments to subjugate public media through appointments and controlling its orientations.

Digital Violence and Harassment Directed Against Female Journalists

Regarding freedoms and digital violence, Jihane Al-Lawati confirmed that the situation is no less dangerous, in light of female and male journalists being subjected to continuous harassment and incitement campaigns that may reach the point of threat, especially those based on gender.

She said that female journalists, especially those with free and bold voices, face on social media continuous harassment and incitement campaigns that take different forms, including verbal and sexual violence, merely for expressing their opinions and positions freely.

Fear, Self-Censorship, and the Syndicate's Call to Unify the Journalistic Ranks

In her comment on the psychological and professional climate, Jihane Al-Lawati mentioned that the topics of the Syndicate's discussion with journalists are always related to the existence of a part of the widespread fear and self-censorship prevalent among some of them, confirming that she understands this well because fear is a human feeling.

Therefore, the Syndicate always calls on its members to be one voice, a voice that breaks all instructions, and whose compass is directed exclusively toward the Tunisian male and female citizen.

She added that the role of male and female journalists, in public and private media, consists essentially of criticism and accountability, as they are the essence of media work, stressing that unifying ranks and raising the voice in defense of professional ethics represent the way to confront challenges.

At the end of her interview, Jihane Al-Lawati confirmed that the ideas of freedom and an independent media that exercises its role as a real authority do not die.