President of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) Yassine Jlassi stated that the media sector is prey to major challenges that threaten the status of freedom of expression and of the press.

Opening the Union's 6th congress on Friday, he warned against "the recurrence of trials of opinion against journalists," citing as examples the cases of Khlifa Guesmi, Chadha Haj Mabrouk and recently Yassine Romdhani "and many other journalists who were prosecuted."

Referring to the future of the journalistic profession, Jelassi underlined the need to combat "the presence of intruders" in the sector.

"The latter have a stranglehold on certain media, which have become mere entertainment platforms where the profit motive takes precedence over the noble mission of journalism."

Jelassi further underscored the need to guarantee the economic and social rights of journalists, denouncing "the recurrent abusive dismissals targeting a large number of journalists working in privately-owned media and the collapse of confiscated media establishments."

Taking the floor, Secretary General of the Tunisian General Labour Union Noureddine Tabboubi said that Tunisia is currently going through an economic and social crisis that is weighing heavily on its citizens.

In view of this situation, a "comprehensive and open dialogue" should be established in order to share the sacrifices, he considered, pointing out the major role of the free media in promoting dialogue and defending its objectives.

Good intentions alone cannot change the situation, Taboubi argued, calling for a genuine dialogue and a broad consensus to find radical solutions to the underlying problems

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse