Tunisian Journalists Rally Over Yousfi Arrest

Tunisian journalists and activists protested outside a court demanding the release of Mohamed Yousfi, editor-in-chief of investigative website Al-Qatiba, who was detained while preparing for a radio interview. Authorities are questioning him over allegations including illicit enrichment and money laundering, while his lawyer says the case lacks concrete evidence and relies on an unrelated social-media post. Rights groups and the journalists’ union say his detention reflects a broader campaign to intimidate independent media, citing the imprisonment or prosecution of several other journalists and opposition figures. Critics argue that President Kais Saied’s consolidation of power since 2021 has weakened democratic safeguards and enabled the targeting of dissenting voices, while Saied maintains that freedoms remain protected. Yousfi’s supporters have also raised concerns about his health in detention following surgery for appendicitis.