Blogger Arrested for Libel

(Tunis, Tunisia) A 34-year-old college professor and blogger, Fatma Riahi, was investigated last week by Tunisian authorities for suspected criminal libel against President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI.

On Wednesday, she was arrested.

Riahi, known as "Arabicca" online, has been accused of being the person behind the blogger Blog de Z, a popular Tunisian cartoonist renowned for being critical of President Ben Ali. Blog de Z's cartoons portray Ben Ali as corrupt, surrounded by thugs and not in the least bit interested in the Tunisian people who are depicted as blind, useful idiots.

In the examples below, one doesn't necessarily have to be fluent in French to understand the point of the cartoons.




According to a statement by Reporters Without Borders (RSF):

"The Tunisian authorities are using the pretext of her arrest in an attempt to discover the identity of anonymous Tunisian bloggers.

"We demand the authorities drop the charges against Fatma Arabicca and release her immediately."

Yesterday it was reported that Fatma Riahi was released but not before authorities had confiscated her computer and hacked her online accounts. Notably, Riahi deleted her blog Fatma Arabicca three days before her arrest.

Fellow bloggers have launched a Free Arabicca campaign blog and a Facebook page.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.