Press release
Geneva – May 14, 2024
Political activist and labor rights defender in Tunisia, Mohammed Walid Al-Zaydi, has announced a judicial order from the Court of First Instance in Kairouan for his arrest due to a reposted blog about boycotting elections.
According to Al-Zaydi, while he was heading to a police station in Hājjab al-Ayūn to obtain a national identification card, he was informed of being under investigation following an arrest warrant issued by the investigating judge of case number 5 at the Court of First Instance in Kairouan, accompanied by a detention order.
The Tunisian labor defender explained that he was detained on December 22, 2023, under Decree 54, for reposting content from a media outlet that reflected the Workers’ Party’s stance urging election boycotts. He was summoned for investigation without a scheduled date and has not been called to appear before the investigating judge since then.
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) condemns the arrest warrant issued against Al-Zaydi, affirming his inherent right to freedom of expression in accordance with Tunisia’s constitution, laws, and international treaties signed by the state.
CFJ urges Tunisian authorities to halt this arbitrary action against Al-Zaydi and to cancel the arrest warrant, especially since it was issued without proper investigation, in clear violation of Tunisian law.
