Tunisia ban journalists conference
Tunisia, Politics, 9/8/2005

The Tunisian authorities banned on Wednesday the convening of the first conference for the journalists Union, which is not officially recognized by the authority. This was after the reservation of one hall dedicated for the conference was cancelled.

The trade union described the measures taken by the authority against it as "oppressive and illegal" aimed at halting preparations to convene the conference which was due Wednesday.

The trade union added in a message addressed to its members that the police notified the chairman of the union Lutfi Haji that it will ban the convening of the conference "whatsoever its conditions and place."

The union also stressed it intends to organize its conference and it will cling to dialogue and legitimacy regardless to difficulties facing it.

Tunis's Hotel, where the conference was to be held in addition to a seminar under the title "trade union and the press", decided to not allow the conference, though the contract for reservation was signed ten days earlier.

The government considers that the Tunisian Journalists Union has no legality while the trade union asserts it had all legal foundation conditions.

Worthy mentioning that the Journalists Union was established in May 2004 by 150 journalists, and assigned itself the responsibility of defending freedom of the press and work conditions of journalists and moral of journalism.

Previous Stories:
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  Journalists condemn Tunisia ban on journalists' meeting   (8/31/2005)

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