Press rights campaigners have slammed the cases of Bolan Bussais and Murad Zguidi as “legitimate persecution”.

A Tunisian court has handed down new prison terms to two prominent media figures, in what critics say is the government’s latest attempt to punish dissent.

The Criminal Chamber of Tunisia’s Court of First Instance on Thursday sentenced broadcast journalists Bohran Bssais and Mourad Zghidi to three and a half years in prison for “money laundering”, a judicial source told Tunisian state news agency TAP.

The belief increases More and more cases Opposition figures, journalists and others considered critics of President Kais Saied, who rights groups say has overseen a broad rollback of freedoms since taking office in 2019.

Bssais and Zghidi are First jailed in May 2024 It is accused of “spreading false news” under Tunisia’s controversial Decree No. 54, which combats cybercrime. Press rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the journalist’s “only ‘crime’ was to comment on and criticize Saied’s political decisions”.

Before they could complete their eight-month sentences, Tunisian justice brought additional tax-related charges, which the journalists’ defense said were based on routine tax matters.

Reporters Without Borders described the case as “legitimate persecution” and urged Tunisian authorities to release Bises and Zguidi immediately.

“As long as journalists are imprisoned for their work, the Tunisian public’s right to information and their legitimate expectations to receive appropriate information will continue to be seriously threatened,” said Oussama Bouagila, RSF’s North Africa director.

The case is as follows Arrested in December The country’s top opposition figure, Ahmed Nejib Chebbi.

Chebii, 81, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring against the state, in a trial that rights groups condemned as a politically motivated “sham”.

In the previous month, dozens more opposition figures were arrested Sentenced to up to 45 years in prison In the so-called “conspiracy case.”

Tunisian courts have also ordered the release of several high-profile detainees in recent months, including Lawyer and Said critic Sonia Dahmani and journalist Chatta Belhaj Mubarak.

“The release of Chadha Haji Mbarek must not be just an isolated act. Instead, it should pave the way for respect for press freedom,” said Bouajira of Reporters Without Borders.

In 2025, Tunisia dropped 11 places in media watchdog RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, from 118th to 129th out of 180 countries.