Stories about Tunisia
To save its economy, can Tunisia reform its oversized public sector?
“These past 10 post-revolution years, romanticised by the West, have solidified for us as more misery and living with the failing of state’s institutions."
Tunisia’s fight against COVID-19 unmasks shaky ground for digital rights
In Tunisia, local authorities have, throughout the pandemic, resorted to historical tricks by using vague, existing laws to curb freedom of expression and limit citizens’ rights to information.
Rights groups in Tunisia mobilize against police protection bill
Article 7 of the bill grants security forces immunity from prosecution for the use of excessive and lethal force against citizens in situations “they deem dangerous.”
COVID-19 has accelerated digitalization but will Tunisia log on?
COVID-19 accelerated digitalization in Tunisia like no previous government could achieve, gaining more digital momentum in a single month than it had in prior decades due to corruption and inaction.
‘Invisible hands': How millions of domestic workers fare under COVID-19
"We are the invisible hands. Our work is not valued. We don’t exist for the families we serve nor do we exist for the state."
Impoverished youth in the Middle East turn to cheap — sometimes deadly — alcohol
When large-scale alcohol poisoning outbreaks occur, they make the news in the Middle East, but where is the political will to tackle this sensitive and controversial issue?
As COVID-19 accelerates digital transformation, is the internet safe for women in the Middle East?
Women activists and journalists experience are particularly targeted online in attempts to intimidate, sow disinformation and discredit their work.
From counterterrorism to counter-COVID-19, governments use crises to impose continuous states of emergency in the Middle East
Fighting terrorism used to be the umbrella under which states of emergency were justified in the Middle East. Now, COVID-19 serves as a new justification for sweeping powers.
In Tunisia, women stand on the frontlines of targeted hate speech online
In Tunisia, an uprising toppled leadership and lead to revolution in 2011. Since then, digital space has witnessed heated debates about politics and society — including attacks against women activists and journalists.
Setbacks for freedom of expression as Tunisia fights COVID-19
Two bloggers have been arrested for accusing local authorities of corruption in relation to aid distribution, while a journalist who criticized the health minister faced insults online.
COVID-19 in the Middle East: Is this pandemic a health crisis or a war?
War-like rhetoric around COVID-19 has allowed governments in the Middle East and North Africa to execute emergency powers and impose draconian measures that would otherwise be unacceptable.
Tunisia has a disinformation problem, but (further) criminalizing speech won't solve it
Following outcry from human rights groups and citizens, a controversial bill that sought to criminalize the spread of ‘’fake news’’ online was quickly withdrawn.
Impact of COVID-19 containment measures on human rights and civil liberties in the Middle East
COVID-19 measures in the MENA region have especially targeted some of the most vulnerable groups such as detained human rights defenders, migrant workers and independent media.
Farewell to Lina Ben Mhenni, Tunisian blogger and human rights defender
We mourn the passing of Lina Ben Mhenni, a prominent Tunisian blogger, human rights defender, Global Voices contributor and one of the brightest voices of the 2011 Tunisian revolution.
Multiple measures failed to control mis- and disinformation in Tunisia's 2019 elections
In light of the lack of transparency from Facebook and a legal void characterizing the regulation of political ads on social media, measures to counter disinformation were inadequate.
Join Global Voices’ #WritingTowardFreedom Twitter chat on December 11, 2019
How has ethnic hate speech, mis- and disinformation and internet shutdowns become insidious threats to online freedom of expression in Africa? Join us for this discussion in a Twitter chat.
Ahead of Tunisia elections, social media was flooded with mis- and disinformation
In the months leading up to the elections, mis- and disinformation spread widely across social media platforms, Facebook in particular.
Tunisian journalists say police union attacks are having a chilling effect on press freedom
Impunity for abuses committed by security forces and police unions "is almost becoming a norm," according to the syndicate of Tunisian journalists.
Tunisian MPs Propose Legislation Criminalising ‘Cyber Defamation’
"This bill is the result of a repressive mindset restrictive of freedoms, reflecting a nostalgia for the dictatorship era".
Is Censorship Coming Back to Tunisia? Court Order Bans ‘Blue Whale’ Online Game
The implications of this decision, if upheld on appeal, would set a new precedent for internet censorship in Tunisia.
Netizen Report: Tunisian Court Refuses to Ban Online LGBTQ Radio Shams Rad
The Advox Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in internet rights around the world.