Tunisia Remands Journalists Arrested Over Critical Comments - Arab News

  Arab News Thursday .
May 16, 2024
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Tunisia remands journalists

arrested over critical
comments
Short Url https://arab.news/gq5ky
Updated 15 May
Broadcaster Borhen Bssais and political
2024
commentator Mourad Zeghidi were arrested Saturday
under a decree criminalizing ‘spreading false
AFP
information’ among other charges, spokesman
Mohamed Zitouna said
May 15, 2024
23:06
 TUNIS: A Tunisian court on Wednesday ordered two

170
journalists to be held in remand until the completion of
investigations into critical comments, a court spokesman
 (/#facebook) said.
 (/#twitter)
Broadcaster Borhen Bssais and political commentator
 (/#linkedin) Mourad Zeghidi were arrested Saturday under a decree
criminalizing “spreading false information” among other
 (/#whatsapp)
charges, spokesman Mohamed Zitouna said.
 Zeghidi is being investigated over social media statements

 last February and a post in support of Mohamed Boughalleb,
another journalist and critic of President Kais Saied who has
 Follow been detained separately.
(https://twitter.com/intent/follow?
original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arabnews.com%2F&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Ebut
Bssais was arrested on accusations of “having harmed
President Kais Saied through radio broadcasts and
statements” online between 2019 and 2022, according to his
lawyer Nizar Ayed.
Their trial is set to begin on May 22, according to their

lawyers.
Both media figures are prosecuted under a law ratified by

Saied in September 2022.
The law punishes people with up to five years in prison for
the use of social media to “produce, spread (or) disseminate
... false news” and “slander others, tarnish their reputation,
financially or morally harm them.”
Journalists and opposition figures have said it has been used

to stifle dissent.
Since the decree came into force, more than 60 journalists,

lawyers and opposition figures have been prosecuted under
it, according to the National Union of Tunisian Journalists.
The same night Bssais and Zeghidi were taken into police
custody, masked police raided the Tunisian bar association
and arrested lawyer Sonia Dahmani, also on the same law.
On Monday, another lawyer was forcibly arrested at the

association’s headquarters.
The president of the bar, Hatem Meziou, on Tuesday called

for an end to “the abuse of power” and “violence” targeting
the lawyers.
The European Union also expressed concern over a string of

arrests of civil society figures in Tunisia — the latest sign of a
tightening clampdown on freedoms under Saied.
Nongovernmental organizations have decried a rollback of

freedoms in Tunisia since Saied began ruling by decree after
a sweeping power grab in 2021.
 (/#facebook)  (/#twitter)  (/#linkedin) 

(/#whatsapp)
 (/#email) 
 Follow (https://twitter.com/intent/follow?
original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arabnews.com%2F&ref_src=twsrc%5
Topics: TUNISIA (/TAXONOMY/TERM/13506)
JOURNALISTS (/TAXONOMY/TERM/56351)
FAKE INFORMATION (/TAXONOMY/TERM/472511)
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BBC investigation leads to ‘Blockout’ trend targets

arrest of one of world’s celebrities over Gaza
most notorious people silence (/node/2510896)
smugglers (/node/2509671)
NGOs warn Elon Musk of

‘collective punishment’ if
Starlink in Sudan is shut down
(/node/2511396)
Updated 16 May
People and organizations rely on ‘unofficial’ Starlink
2024
connection for lifeline services
ARAB NEWS Coalition of 94 humanitarian, human rights groups call
for warring factions to repair damaged
May 16, 2024 communication infrastructure
15:29
LONDON: Starlink’s chief Elon Musk has been urged not to


42 shut down the satellite internet service in Sudan, as doing so
could “collectively punish” millions of Sudanese.
 (/#facebook)
In an appeal to the American billionaire, nearly 100
 (/#twitter) humanitarian, civil society, human rights organizations and
members of the #KeepItOn coalition have highlighted the
 (/#linkedin) critical role Starlink plays as a lifeline for on-the-ground
 (/#whatsapp) organizations operating in the war-torn African country.
They warn that interrupting the service could have fatal
consequences.

 “Any shutdown of telecommunication services is a violation
of human rights and may be considered to be a collective
 Follow
punishment that will not only isolate individuals from their
support networks but also exacerbate the already dire
economic situation facing millions,” said the coalition, which
includes Save the Children, Islamic Relief Worldwide and
Action Against Hunger, among others.
The statement added: “The potential shutdown of Starlink
would have a disproportionate impact on civilians and the
aid organisations who are trying to reach them.”
Sudan has been grappling with a widespread

telecommunications blackout for several months, severely
limiting emergency and humanitarian services and access to
basic transactions such as cash transfers from abroad.
Starlink, which can operate across borders thanks to its

satellite service, announced earlier this month that it would
cease its services in Sudan by restricting roaming in
jurisdictions where it is not licensed.
If confirmed, this decision risks provoking a permanent

nationwide telecommunications shutdown, similar to the
one in February 2024 that left almost 30 million Sudanese
without access to the internet or telephone calls for more
than a month.
The situation is further exacerbated by the damage and

destruction of communication infrastructure, targeted by
both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese military.
The coalition, which relies on expensive and scarce satellite

internet in areas where formal telecommunications are not
functioning, has also urged the warring factions to repair the
infrastructure.
SpaceX’s Starlink has been under pressure to maintain its

connection since conflict broke out in Sudan in April 2023.
In August, a hacking group called Anonymous Sudan took X

offline in more than a dozen countries to pressure Elon
Musk into formally opening Starlink in Sudan.
In recent months, the company has been at the center of a

public debate over its role in connecting war-torn areas
worldwide.
Earlier in May, Bloomberg reported that SpaceX was close to

finalizing a deal with the Yemeni government to provide
satellite internet to the country in what experts described as
a “victory” over the Houthi rebels.
In September 2023, several media outlets reported that Elon

Musk denied a Ukrainian request to extend Starlink’s
coverage to Crimea during a surprise attack.
Although this was later clarified as an erroneous claim that

Musk “turned off” Starlink coverage in Crimea, it raised
concerns about the service’s role during conflicts.

(/#whatsapp)
 (/#email) 
Topics: SUDAN (/TAXONOMY/TERM/13981)
ELON MUSK (/TAXONOMY/TERM/36431)
STARLINK (/TAXONOMY/TERM/458286)
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Dentsu opens sports practice
in MENA with Riyadh HQ
(/node/2511036)
Updated 16 May
2024
DUBAI: International advertising group Dentsu has
announced the launch of its dedicated sports practice,
ARAB NEWS dentsu Sports International, in the Middle East and North
Africa region.
May 16, 2024
02:02
The new practice, which focuses on sports marketing and
analytics services, will be headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi
 Arabia, with additional offices in the UAE.
219
To provide end-to-end service to clients, the group brings

 (/#facebook) together three dentsu businesses: dentsu Sports
 (/#twitter) International Commercial, MKTG Sports + Entertainment
and dentsu Sports Analytics.
 (/#linkedin)
Charlie Wylie, managing director for Europe, Middle East
 (/#whatsapp)
and Africa at dentsu Sports International, said: “dentsu
Sports International will serve as a strategic sports and


 Follow entertainment arm of dentsu in MENA, offering
comprehensive solutions tailored to the needs of brands and
rights holders.”
The company has appointed Olaf Borutz as vice president of

commercial development, reporting to dentsu Sports
International’s global chief commercial officer, Echo Li.
Borutz’s previous role as head of sports and events at law

firm Al Tamimi & Company saw him advise clients on sports
and events-related commercial matters, including
government bodies, rights holders, agencies and players of
the Saudi Pro League and Qatar Stars League.
“The appetite for sports marketing in the Kingdom is at an

all-time high, with Saudi’s ambitions and investment in this
space only expected to grow,” said Tarek Daouk, CEO,
dentsu MENA.
A significant 62 percent of Saudi sports fans say that sport

plays a bigger role in their lives than before, according to a
new study conducted by dentsu Sports International.
The study also found that fans spend more time and money
than their international counterparts on live events in the
Kingdom, with Saudi fans attending an average of six events
in person a year, more than the UK average of two events per
year.
Saudi Arabia’s significant youth population is passionate

about sports, with 68 percent of 18–24-year-old Saudis
saying they find attending sports events more rewarding
than other entertainment events.
The study also revealed that these younger consumers are

the most likely to purchase premium tickets, spending 31
percent more a ticket than older fans.
Daouk said: “It’s an exciting time for sports in the region and
we are thrilled to launch dentsu’s bespoke sports and
entertainment offering.”
(/#whatsapp)
 (/#email) 
Topics: DENTSU (/TAXONOMY/TERM/505726)
SPORTS SAUDI (/TAXONOMY/TERM/571421)
RELATED
 PHOTO S
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Dentsu MENA hosts Saudi Pro League stars

inaugural Now to Next including Ronaldo and
event in Riyadh Firmino enjoy Red Sea
(/node/2265991) holiday (/node/2485616)
‘Blockout’ trend targets

celebrities over Gaza silence
(/node/2510896)
Updated 15 May
Selena Gomez, Zendaya and Kim Kardashian are
2024
among the celebrities who have lost hundreds of
ARAB NEWS
thousands of followers
Boycott campaign gained traction following Met Gala

May 15, 2024 event last week in New York
19:57
LONDON: A new trend threatening to boycott celebrities


267 over their refusal to speak out about the Gaza conflict is
gaining momentum on social media.
 (/#facebook)
Known as “Blockout 2024,” the movement has surged in
 (/#twitter) popularity following the Met Gala last week.
 (/#linkedin) As part of a solidarity campaign, social media users are

 (/#whatsapp) calling for the blocking of accounts of celebrities who have
remained silent on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

High-profile figures such as Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and
 Drake are among the hundreds of celebrities facing this
“digital guillotine.”
 Follow
A full list is circulating on social media, leading to a
significant loss of followers on Instagram and other
platforms.
Actress and singer Selena Gomez reportedly lost 1 million
followers on Instagram and 100,000 on X, according to US-
based social media analytics site Sonic Blue.
Fellow actress and singer Zendaya, reality TV star Kim

Kardashian, and her sister Kylie Jenner have also seen
hundreds of thousands of followers drop.
Pro-Palestinian activists have been pressuring celebrities for

months to show more support for Gaza civilians. This
growing discontent reached a tipping point last week when
the Met Gala’s glitz and glamour coincided with Israel’s
announcement of a military offensive in Rafah.
"
592.1K
25.9K
Watch more exciting Watch now
@ladyfromtheoutside
#greenscreen #greenscreenvideo
#digitine #digitalguillotine #haleyybaylee
original sound - Meagan
"
The movement was sparked by a TikTok video from
influencer Haley Kalil at the Met Gala on May 7, where she
lip-synced to the phrase “Let them eat cake.”
This phrase, attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette, drew

parallels to the French Revolution, symbolizing indifference
to the suffering of the impoverished.
“It’s time for the people to conduct what I want to call a
‘digital guillotine.’ A ‘digitine,’ if you will,” said TikTok
creator @ladyfromtheoutside, who kicked off the
movement with her viral video.
“It’s time to block all the celebrities, influencers and wealthy

socialites who are not using their resources to help those in
dire need. We gave them their platforms. It’s time to take it
back, take our views away, our likes, our comments, our
money.”
According to Gaza authorities, at least 35,000 people, mostly

women and children, have been killed in the Palestinian
territory during the seven-month war, which has been
widely condemned as failing to comply with international
humanitarian law.

(/#whatsapp)
 (/#email) 
Topics: SOCIAL MEDIA (/TAXONOMY/TERM/15756)
TIKTOK (/TAXONOMY/TERM/310846) META (/TAXONOMY/TERM/423626)
X (/TAXONOMY/TERM/527931) WAR ON GAZA (/TAXONOMY/TERM/540901)
#BLOCKOUT 2024 (/TAXONOMY/TERM/571356)
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ANALYSIS
 463
What is the celebrity

‘blockout’ over the war in
Gaza? (/node/2510456)
BBC investigation leads to
arrest of one of world’s most
notorious people smugglers
(/node/2509671)
Updated 14 May
Barzan Majeed, nicknamed ‘Scorpion,’ is caught in
2024
Iraqi Kurdistan days after release of BBC podcast
ARAB NEWS
series by journalists who tracked him down and
interviewed him
May 14, 2024 Senior local official confirms officials used

00:10
information from the broadcaster’s investigation to
help find fugitive believed to have helped smuggle
 thousands of people to UK
566
DUBAI: Kurdish security forces arrested Barzan Majeed,

 (/#facebook) described as one of the world’s most notorious people
 (/#twitter) smugglers, in Iraqi Kurdistan on Sunday morning.

 (/#linkedin) Nicknamed “Scorpion,” the fugitive is believed to have been
involved in smuggling an estimated 10,000 people across the
 (/#whatsapp)
English Channel to the UK. He was arrested days after the
 release of a BBC podcast series in which investigative
journalists tracked him down to the city of Sulaymaniyah in

 Follow Iraq and interviewed him there.
During the interview, Majeed said he had lost count of the
number of people he helped to smuggle, adding: “Maybe a
thousand, maybe 10,000. I don’t know, I didn’t count.”
He admitted that between 2016 and 2019 he was one of two

people who helped run a people-smuggling operation in
Belgium and France but denied he was the mastermind of
the operation.
“A couple of people, when they get arrested, they say, ‘We’re

working for him’ — they want to get less (of a) sentence,” he
said.
Originally from Iraq, Majeed moved to the city of

Nottingham, in England, in 2013 but was deported two years
later. He had been on the run since failing to appear at a
court in Belgium for a sentencing hearing in November 2022.
The UK’s National Crime Agency issued a warrant for his

arrest that same year. The agency, which confirmed his
arrest, said: “We are grateful to the BBC for highlighting his
case and remain determined to do all we can to disrupt and
dismantle the criminal networks involved in smuggling
people to the UK, wherever they operate.”
A senior member of the Kurdistan Regional Government

confirmed its officials had used information from the BBC
investigation to locate and arrest Majeed.
Each year, thousands of people flee Iraq, including its

Kurdistan Region, in the hope of finding a better life in the
UK or other parts of Europe. In many cases, they pay people
smugglers to transport them, but the routes and methods
used by the smugglers are often dangerous and the migrants
face harsh weather and potentially deadly travel conditions.
Germany deported 222 Iraqi citizens in the first three
months of this year as part of an alleged agreement between
Berlin and Baghdad to deport migrants who do not qualify to
remain in Germany, media organization Rudaw, which is
based in Iraqi Kurdistan, reported this week.

(/#whatsapp)
 (/#email) 
Topics: PEOPLE SMUGGLERS (/TAXONOMY/TERM/471746)
PEOPLE SMUGGLING (/TAXONOMY/TERM/289791)
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 275  969
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(/node/2508451) (/node/2196716)
Saudi radio station MBC FM

marks 30 years of
broadcasting with special
events (/node/2509556)
Updated 13 May
Bosses say the celebrations honor the pioneering
2024
station’s enduring contributions to the media
ARAB NEWS
landscape in the Kingdom
‘MBC FM has captured the ears and hearts of millions

May 13, 2024 of Saudis over 3 decades’ and ‘continues to lead the
21:17
radio airwaves with the love and loyalty of listeners,’
says group’s chairperson

5461
LONDON: As pioneering Saudi radio station MBC FM
celebrates three decades of broadcasting in the Kingdom, it
 (/#facebook) is marking the milestone with a series of events and
 (/#twitter) initiatives at the MBC Group headquarters in Riyadh under
the theme “30 and Still Going Strong.”
 (/#linkedin)
The celebrations, which began on May 12, honor the station’s
 (/#whatsapp)
enduring contributions to Saudi Arabia’s media landscape,
bosses said. They include competitions, entertainment
 events and exclusive interviews with renowned artists and
 stars from across the Gulf region and the wider Arab world.
 Follow
“Just as MBC FM has captured the ears and hearts of
millions of Saudis over three decades, being the first

commercial FM radio station in the Kingdom, the radio and
music sector at MBC Group today continues to lead the radio
airwaves with the love and loyalty of listeners,” said Walid
Al-Ibrahim, the chairperson of MBC Group.
In addition to providing entertainment for listeners, the

station has served as a launchpad for emerging talent, he
added, as he highlighted its influence on local culture.
Ziad Hamza, general manager of the radio and music Sector

at MBC Group, said the station remains committed to its
ongoing evolution while also honoring its strong history and
legacy. In particular he highlighted investments in
infrastructure, diversity of content and audience
engagement as the station adapted to changing tastes and
preferences among listeners.
“We have worked on developing the infrastructure and

creating a comprehensive modern environment for the radio
sector … by investing in Saudi youth talents, including radio
presenters, producers, programmers and technicians,” said
Hamza.
“We have also launched the MoodMBC application, which

includes MBC FM, Panorama FM and MBC Podcast, in
addition to enhanced options for direct communication, as
well as rich and diverse content catering to poetry lovers,
music session enthusiasts, and current affairs followers.
“Our goal has always been to strike a balance between the

tastes of listeners and the needs of advertisers, facilitating
our clients’ access to various target audience segments
around the clock.”

(/#whatsapp)
 (/#email) 
Topics: MBC FM (/TAXONOMY/TERM/571086)
RADIO (/TAXONOMY/TERM/45401) MBC GROUP (/TAXONOMY/TERM/36811)
SAUDI ARABIA (/TAXONOMY/TERM/153)
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  Arab News Thursday .

May 16, 2024

SAUDI ARABIA (/SAUDIARABIA) MIDDLE EAST (/MIDDLEEAST) WORLD (/WORLD)

BUSINESS (/ECONOMY) MEDIA LIFESTYLE (/LIFESTYLE) OPINION (/OPINION)

SPORT (/SPORT) RESEARCH & STUDIES (/RESEARCH) PODCAST (/PODCAST)

MEDIA POWER LISTS (/MEDIA-LIST)

LATEST NEWS / Business & Economy (/Taxonomy/Term/4)  12,198

Home (/) / Tunisia remands journalists arrested over critical comments

Tunisia remands journalists

 TUNIS: A Tunisian court on Wednesday ordered two

 Zeghidi is being investigated over social media statements

Their trial is set to begin on May 22, according to their

Both media figures are prosecuted under a law ratified by

Journalists and opposition figures have said it has been used

Since the decree came into force, more than 60 journalists,

On Monday, another lawyer was forcibly arrested at the

The president of the bar, Hatem Meziou, on Tuesday called

The European Union also expressed concern over a string of

Nongovernmental organizations have decried a rollback of

 (/#facebook)  (/#twitter)  (/#linkedin) 

Topics: TUNISIA (/TAXONOMY/TERM/13506)

BBC investigation leads to ‘Blockout’ trend targets

NGOs warn Elon Musk of

LONDON: Starlink’s chief Elon Musk has been urged not to

Sudan has been grappling with a widespread

Starlink, which can operate across borders thanks to its

If confirmed, this decision risks provoking a permanent

The situation is further exacerbated by the damage and

The coalition, which relies on expensive and scarce satellite

SpaceX’s Starlink has been under pressure to maintain its

In August, a hacking group called Anonymous Sudan took X

In recent months, the company has been at the center of a

Earlier in May, Bloomberg reported that SpaceX was close to

In September 2023, several media outlets reported that Elon

Although this was later clarified as an erroneous claim that

 (/#facebook)  (/#twitter)  (/#linkedin) 

Topics: SUDAN (/TAXONOMY/TERM/13981)

ELON MUSK (/TAXONOMY/TERM/36431)

Smuggled Starlink dishes UAE looks to provide

To provide end-to-end service to clients, the group brings

The company has appointed Olaf Borutz as vice president of

Borutz’s previous role as head of sports and events at law

“The appetite for sports marketing in the Kingdom is at an

A significant 62 percent of Saudi sports fans say that sport

Saudi Arabia’s significant youth population is passionate

The study also revealed that these younger consumers are

Topics: DENTSU (/TAXONOMY/TERM/505726)

SPORTS SAUDI (/TAXONOMY/TERM/571421)

Dentsu MENA hosts Saudi Pro League stars

‘Blockout’ trend targets

Boycott campaign gained traction following Met Gala

LONDON: A new trend threatening to boycott celebrities

 (/#linkedin) As part of a solidarity campaign, social media users are

Fellow actress and singer Zendaya, reality TV star Kim

Pro-Palestinian activists have been pressuring celebrities for

Watch more exciting Watch now

This phrase, attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette, drew

“It’s time to block all the celebrities, influencers and wealthy

According to Gaza authorities, at least 35,000 people, mostly

 (/#facebook)  (/#twitter)  (/#linkedin) 

Topics: SOCIAL MEDIA (/TAXONOMY/TERM/15756)

TIKTOK (/TAXONOMY/TERM/310846) META (/TAXONOMY/TERM/423626)

X (/TAXONOMY/TERM/527931) WAR ON GAZA (/TAXONOMY/TERM/540901)