Tunisian journalist sentenced to four years in jail on terrorism charges

A court in Tunisia has sentenced jailed independent journalist Zied el-Heni to four more years in prison, this time on terrorism-related charges.

A vocal critic of President Kais Saied, he was given a year in jail in May over remarks he made about press freedom.

The latest case relates to his request to verify leaked audio recordings attributed to politician Mondher Lounissi, a former interim leader of the Ennahdha opposition movement.

His lawyer said the charges include claims he had formed a terrorist organisation and failed to report a terrorist offence.

El-Heni had refused to hand over his mobile phone to the authorities in the absence of a warrant, in order to protect his sources.

Lounissi was sentenced to nine years in prison in the same case, although el-Heni’s lawyer said it remained unclear what the recordings contained.

International journalism organisations have condemned the ruling describing it as an escalation of Tunisia’s assault on the Press.

Dozens of Saied's critics are currently behind bars.

Many of Ennahdha's members have been jailed or have fled the country since Saied staged a sweeping power grab in 2021.