Tunis bans journalists union from holding founding conference

The Tunisian authorities on Wednesday notified the Tunisian Journalists Union that it cannot convene its founding conference due on September 7th, according to chairman of the founding committee of the Union Lutfi Haji.

Haji said he received this decision from the security administration in Tunis following a statement issued on the Internet on the date of convening the conference and its schedule.

Haji added "a high ranking official notified me that the authorities decided to prevent our conference as well as the seminar set for this occasion." He added that calls were extended to representatives for the International Union journalists, the International Union for free trade unions and Algerian, Moroccan and Egyptian journalists Union to take part in this conference and the accompanying seminar.

Haji stressed he refused to sign the "oral investigation" carried out by the police on the "legal nature of the his union, even though it is not violating the law."

For its part, the Tunisian authorities said that the Tunisian journalists union is "a legally unidentified organization and on this ground it can not take the initiative to organize any activity in the country."

The source added that the "authorities several times directed the attention of Haji to the need of honoring laws in the country on measures that should be taken in order to form societies." However, the Tunisian "labor law" does not subjugate the issue of founding trade unions to a prior consent from the authorities. It only states the need to notify the authorities of the matter and handing it over founding documents. A measure "taken appropriately" according to the founding committee of the journalists Union.

This Union was established in May, 2004 by 150 journalists. The union explained that its aims is to defend the freedom of the press and work and vocational morale conditions.