Tunisian president pleads for protection of journalists and freedom of speech
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Tunisian President Kaïs Saied Friday pleaded for the protection of journalists and the freedom of speech, a statement issued here by the presidency said.
The president made the call when the chairman of the national trade-union of Tunisian journalists (SNJT), Néji Bghouri, called on him.
President Saeid lauded the role of journalists and “the free expression in the fight for national liberation” to foil any attempt to compromise Tunisia and the interests of its people.
According to the statement, President Saeid underlined the interest he pays to the sector of the media and the development of the legal frameworks in the domain, describing as “indispensable to guarantee the freedom of speech as being significant step forward the freedom of expression, and to protect the rights of journalists by valorizing their role in this decisive state which the country is going through”.
Bghouri said he informed President Saeid about the recent launching of the Council of Media which was expected to establish ’quality journalism’ and “devote the right of the citizen for free and pluralist information”.
According to the SNJT president, the meeting gave him the opportunity to discuss several draft bills being discussed.
“The president of the Republic engaged to reject any anti-constitutional draft bill in order to guarantee the freedom of opinion, expression and thought,” he said.
The Council of Media is a self-regulatory body in charge particularly of drafting ‘a charter of ethics’ for the training of journalists.
The fifth Congress of the national trade-union of Tunisian journalists will be held on 19-20 September in Tunis.
-0- PANA BB/TBM/MSA/RA 18 September 2020
