🇹🇳TunisiaNorth Africa
Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed addresses security forces' 70th anniversary, denounces destabilization attempts
via Business News2 min read
Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed presided over the 70th-anniversary ceremony of the internal security forces on Saturday, April 18, 2026. During the event, he delivered a speech emphasizing the role of security forces, national cohesion, and the challenges facing Tunisia. The President also awarded ranks and decorations to several internal security force officers and agents for their service. Saïed highlighted the continuous sacrifices made by military and security forces, acknowledging their unwavering efforts and will to serve the nation. He cited their mobilization during recent severe weather, where they rescued citizens despite limited resources, calling these actions "examples that history will remember." The President stated that the image of security forces has evolved, with agents now accompanying citizens, protecting their property, and ensuring their safety, rather than inspiring fear. He noted a "cohesion" between the people and security institutions, citing instances of joint action, such as pursuing criminals. In a more political tone, Kaïs Saïed condemned what he called attempts to "sow doubt and chaos," pointing to certain mobilizations and social media publications. He spoke of "orchestrated campaigns" aimed at undermining the country's stability, accusing their perpetrators of seeking to "turn the state into spoils and the people into hostages." The President asserted that these attempts are ineffective, believing the Tunisian people "are aware of the stakes" a
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Business News.
BN Check participated in the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, an event that gathers journalists, researchers, digital experts, human rights defenders, and civil society actors globally. The festival serves as a key forum for discussing media's future, press freedom, and challenges posed by technology, especially given the fragility of information and the rise of manipulative narratives. BN Check's presence highlights the growing recognition of independent media in North Africa, particularly Tunisia, in combating disinformation. In a region often affected by political polarization, economic pressures, and digital propaganda, BN Check has become a crucial player in fact-checking and media literacy, working to rebuild a culture of evidence and methodical doubt for the public. BN Check engaged in discussions and workshops on fact-checking in the age of artificial intelligence, a central topic in the global media ecosystem. AI has transformed information circulation, enabling mass content production, including articles, images, synthetic voices, and hyperrealistic videos. While an opportunity for media, it also poses a significant risk to truth, as disinformation becomes industrialized, automated, and difficult to distinguish from authentic journalism. Panels emphasized the emergence of deepfakes, manipulated content that imitates faces, voices, or speeches with disturbing accuracy. Once specialized, this technology is now widely accessible, and deepfakes have
Must ReadThe Tunisian Association of Sociology expressed deep concern on Friday, April 17, 2026, regarding defamation and denigration campaigns targeting Professor-Researcher Mouldi Guessoumi, calling it a serious attack on academic freedoms. The association stated that these attacks intensified on social media following Guessoumi's media appearances, peaking after an interview published on the Al Qatiba website. The criticism, they noted, has moved beyond intellectual debate to target Guessoumi personally, as well as his family, region, and affiliated academic institutions. The association highlighted Guessoumi's role as a higher education professor at a Tunisian university, a sociology researcher, and an active member of their organization. They emphasized his diverse work in political sociology, the sociology of organizations and social movements, and development sociology, recognizing him as a "recognized scientific expert" committed to knowledge, democracy, and social justice. The association stressed that these campaigns attack Guessoumi's person, not his ideas, which they view as a "clear violation" of the rights to thought, expression, and publication. They reiterated that academic debate should involve the confrontation of arguments and ideas, adhering to scientific and ethical rules without personal attacks. The association believes these attacks are part of a broader trend to marginalize intellectuals and researchers, fostering a "populist" environment. They warned that suc
Actor and comedian Lotfi Abdelli reacted to his 18-month prison sentence on Saturday, April 18, 2026, describing himself as a "criminal of jokes" and a "words trafficker." The sentence was handed down in absentia by the correctional chamber of the Sfax 1 Court of First Instance. The case originated from a performance at the International Festival of Sfax in the summer of 2022, which led to a complaint from a security forces union regarding allegedly offensive remarks. The court found Abdelli guilty on three counts: insulting a public official, attributing unproven facts to a public agent, and offending public morals, each carrying a six-month sentence. Abdelli, who resides abroad, can still challenge the decision. The article highlights that the charges stem from words spoken in an artistic context, involving exaggeration, satire, and provocation, which are considered essential elements of humor. It suggests that turning an artistic performance into a criminal matter blurs the line between justice and creative freedom, indicating a climate where artistic expression is increasingly vulnerable.
A recent exchange between Zouhair Maghzaoui, Secretary General of the Echaâb Movement, and former Head of Government Hichem Mechichi has reignited debate about the responsibility of political parties in the period before July 25, 2021. On Friday, April 17, 2026, Maghzaoui described the pre-July 25 democracy as "corrupt" and "empty of all social content," stating that support for the July 25 political shift aimed to establish a "true democracy" based on social programs and justice, though he admitted this transformation has not occurred. He downplayed current divisions, suggesting broad agreement on fighting corruption, establishing a social state, and combating monopolies. Hichem Mechichi responded by recalling a personal encounter where Maghzaoui allegedly requested the appointment of a relative to lead the Kebili governorate, stating, "It was indeed corrupt, this democracy that allowed people like you to access its institutions." This exchange highlights the Echaâb Movement's role in the period now criticized, as the party was part of the parliamentary democratic bloc, participated in the majority, and was included in the executive, notably in the government of Elyes Fakhfakh. The article suggests that the "corrupt democracy" denounced by Maghzaoui is one to which his party contributed, raising questions about accountability for past actions within a system now widely criticized in political discourse.