Tunisian Graffiti Artists Fined, Most Serious Charges Dismissed · Global Voices
Afef Abrougui

A Tunisian court in Gabes, in the South East of Tunisia, fined graffiti artists Oussama Bouagila and Chahine Berriche, 100 Tunisian Dinars [approximately 63 USD], for “writing, without permission, on public property” today [April 10, 2013]. However, the court dismissed the most serious charges of “breaching the state of emergency” and “publishing fake news that could disturb public order”.
Last November, Bouagila and Berriche were caught by police as they were drawing a graffiti that says “the people want the poor's rights.” The two young men are members of the street art group Zwewla [ar] [“the poor” in Tunisian dialect], known for drawing graffiti in support of the underprivileged and the poor.
In a statement, the support committee for Zwewla, described [fr] the verdict as a “symbolic victory for free expression”:
Photo Via Zwewla Facebook Page
Caricature by Nidhal Ghariani
Le Comité de soutien #FreeZwewla est fier de cette victoire symbolique et annonce des initiatives et actions qui auront lieu prochainement afin de réunir l’argent demandé et de régler cette amende.
The support committee #FreeZwewla is proud of this symbolic victory, and announces that a number of initiatives and actions will take place soon to collect the needed sum of money and pay the fine