The National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) voiced deep concern over the Presidency of the Republic’s recourse to military justice to prosecute bloggers for social media posts.

This is a «restriction on freedom of expression» and a «setback to the freedoms» guaranteed by the Constitution, the SNJT said in a statement.

The President of the Republic should ensure that fundamental rights and freedoms are respected and not limit their use, the statement said.

The SNJT reaffirmed its total rejection of the use of military justice to track the voices opposing the policy of the Presidency of the Republic, considering it a threat to freedom of expression.

«These practices remind us of totalitarian and military regimes, which jeopardise the achievements of the revolution, including freedom of expression,» the statement said.

The union stressed that defamation and slander are not part of the freedom of expression. «It is everyone’s right to bring a case to court: civil justice and not military justice, especially when the parties to the case are civilians.

Blogger and human rights champion Amina Mansour said the military prosecutor’s office convened her over a social media post, in which she criticised the President of the Republic.

She stated that she «did not undermine the dignity of the President of the Republic, nor did she make any defamatory remarks against him.»

Several arrests and complaints have been made recently against bloggers, some of whom have been brought before the military justice system for posts on social media.

Source: TAP News Agency