Tunisia: NUJ joins global calls for immediate release of journalist Mohamed El Yousfi
The NUJ has joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) in calling for the immediate release of journalist Mohamed El Yousfi.
On 4 September Mohamed El Yousfi was arrested by security agents in front of the premises of the private radio station Express FM in the Tunisian capital Tunis before his scheduled appearance in a programme on water policy.
According to information gathered by SNJT's legal team, an investigation had been opened on the basis of publications published on Facebook. Mohamed El Yousfi was questioned about these publications, but also about his journalistic work and the editorial line of Al-Qatiba, one of the leading independent media outlets in Tunisia. His arrest comes after a smear and incitement campaign against him on social media.
Other journalists have been imprisoned in Tunisia because of their work or positions, including Mourad Zeghidi and Borhen Bsaïes, who have been detained since May 2024 and sentenced to long prison terms. In April 2026, Zied El Heni was arrested and sentenced to one year in prison after criticising a court decision.
Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, said:
“I know Mohamed El Yousfi personally. I know his commitment, his courage and his commitment to free, rigorous and quality journalism. His work within Al-Qatiba and his critical interventions clearly disturb the government. His arrest is a direct part of Tunisia's repressive policy, which targets, prosecutes and imprisons journalists. Tunisia is sinking deeper into the criminalisation of independent journalism every day. We demand the immediate release of Mohamed and all detained journalists.”
Zied Dabbar, SNJT president and IFJ vice president, said:
“Mohamed El Yousfi's arrest is directly linked to his independent journalistic work and critical positions. When a journalist can be arrested on the way to a radio studio, it is to the entire profession that a message of intimidation is addressed. However, Tunisian journalists will not give up on investigating, questioning public officials, or carrying out their essential mission of providing information.”
Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary said:
"Journalism is not a crime. Yet hundreds of journalists are currently imprisoned around the world simply because they dared to tell the truth and exercise their human right to freedom of speech. This is unacceptable, and the NUJ joins international colleagues in calling on the Tunisian government to respect the right to report and to immediately release Mohamed El Yousfi and all journalists currently in detention.”