Tunisian Journalists Tread With Caution
Freedom of the press is still more aspiration than reality in Tunisia two years after the fall of Ben Ali, writes Katharina Pfannkuch.
A surge of applause rises in the crowded main hall of the Tunis Grand Hotel. The audience has been waiting impatiently for this evening. BBC veteran Tim Sebastian welcomes his guests to the New Arab Debates, which he launched in 2011 in response to the uprisings in the Arab world.
"I'm glad to be back in Tunis," says the British journalist. "Everyone has an opinion, everyone wants to express this opinion — and everyone has the opportunity to do this."
Sebastian has seen firsthand how this opportunity can be limited in Tunisia after the revolution. During the recording of the New Arab Debates in May 2012, two plain-clothed police officers entered the studio and removed the audience list during the program recording. After massive criticism from the public, this year the show went on without any intervention by security forces.
"The battle for freedom of expression in Tunisia has just begun. It won’t be ... easy," said Sebastian.
