Media freedom in Tunisia stirs wide debate
The closure by the Independent High Authority for Audiovisual Communication of four media institutions, under the pretext of benefiting from the influence of some parties and political figures for broadcasting without regularizing their situation, has stirred wide controversy and growing concern about the fate of media institutions in Tunisia.
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia’s media regulator has recently shut down a number of media outlets, stirring a wide controversy on the future of the press in the country. The private Tunisian Hannibal TV announced Oct. 31 in a statement on its Facebook page that it decided to automatically and temporarily suspend broadcasting until its legal situation is settled and it obtains a broadcasting license.
The channel explained that its move comes in response to the decision of the Independent High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HAICA) instructing it to immediately halt broadcasting or face legal measures. HAICA had issued in September a decision to stop the licensing and legal situation regularization procedures of the channel.
