The 2011 revolution has brought the issue of freedom and judicial independence to the forefront in Tunisia. Grave concerns have replaced the hopes born in the first years of democratic transition. Since its inception, inkyfada has been committed to investigating and analyzing the threats to the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in the country.
The judiciary has become less and less independent in Tunisia over the past few years, particularly since July 25, 2021. The pressure exerted on judges and the executive's direct interference in sensitive cases have only exacerbated this crisis.
Repression is also on the rise, with targeted arrests, crackdowns on activists, and demonization of judges. The accumulation of power in the hands of a single authority has further weakened the independence of the judiciary. The repercussions of such measures on Tunisian civil society are alarming, as they affect freedom of expression and the ability of citizens to fight for their rights. Yet, against this difficult backdrop, some forms of civil and legal resistance are emerging, led by local actors who are dedicated to defending the rule of law.
Our guest, Said Benarbia, Executive Director of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) for the MENA region, will discuss these issues, and share with us his insights on the impact of reforms, mounting repression, and resistance strategies in Tunisia.
This podcast was made in partnership with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).
Inkyfada Podcast is the first platform entirely dedicated to original Tunisian podcasts, and was conceived by Inkyfada media in collaboration with the in-house research and development laboratory, InkyLab. Inkyfada joined the global podcast boom in 2017, when the team produced the first Tunisian audio documentary, diving deep into the belly of the El Kamour struggle taking place in the desert. Since then, Inkyfada Podcast has produced a wide variety of documentaries, investigations, and podcast series, as well as articles accompanied by music; covering a multitude of contemporary issues in order to offer an immersive and alternative podcast experience. Whilst exclusively offering audio content, the Inkyfada Podcast team upholds the same core values and principles of inkyfada.com, and is committed to producing high quality content though a dynamic and meticulous production process. In addition to the permanent team, Inkyfada podcast works closely with various journalists, artists, illustrators, musicians and other content creators in order to diversify the platform and support artistic creativity. These podcasts differ from traditional radiophonic content in that the applied production and editing process is more akin to cinematographic techniques, in addition to being web-based, downloadable and accessible on demand. Additionally, Inkyfada Podcast uniquely offers subtitles in French, Arabic and English for all audio content, the majority of which is recorded in Tunisian or in the preferred language of the speaker in question.