Families say the verdict is payback for speaking truth to power.
A Tunisian court has sentenced radio journalists Bohran Bssaies and Mourad Zghidi to three and a half years in prison on tax evasion charges — a ruling their families insist is retaliation for critical reporting.
The duo, who work with local station IFM, have been behind bars since 2024. They were first jailed over accusations of spreading false news and insulting the president, then kept in pre-trial detention over the tax case.
Zghidi’s sister, Maryem, described the judgment as shocking and baseless, calling it “an attack on press freedom.” The families say they will appeal.
President Kais Saied denies clamping down on the media, but critics argue dissent — from journalists to opposition figures — has faced growing pressure since he began ruling by decree in 2021.
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