Twenty-eight year-old Lamia al-Sharif’s face is still pale, her expression fatigued; signs from the 55-day  strike she has just endured. She hardly speaks but she never fails to come to the office and contribute to the newspaper. Al-Sharif has been working in the national events department of the ‘Dar Assabah’ state-owned media institution for the […]

Tunisian journalists went on unprecedented general strike for the first time in the history of the country since independence from the French on March 20, 1956, protesting what they describe as the attempt of the government, led by the Islamic Ennahda Movement, to control the media and restrict freedom of expression in the country that […]

In one of the Al-Salam Oasis woods, Sheikh Monsef Kelani Ibn Tohami, 65 years old, sits in front of his damaged cottage, among palm trees covered with chemical dust. [ibimage==2585==Small_Image==none==self==null] Sheikh Monsef Kelani Ibn Tohami “Most farmers lost their livelihoods after palm woods and agriculture got damaged, due to gas emissions from the chemical factories,” […]

The ruling coalition in Tunisia has suggested a new political system; a mixture between presidential and parliamentary. This was decided upon by the most important blocs in the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) on the controversy concerning the best political system for the post-revolution Tunisia. The ruling coalition in Tunisia has suggested a new political system; […]

All the residents in Az Zarat can point to one of their village’s oldest and most precious landmarks; the home of Sheikh Ali Al-Amery, the oldest man in their small fishing village in Gabes, 470 kilometers southeast of Tunis. Celebrating his 133rd birthday last month, Ali smiled amid the wrinkles that covered his entire face […]

One can barely turn on the news without hearing about salafists, a group of Muslims who follow fundamentalist Sunni Islamic thought.  Recently, they have been associated with extremist views and violence towards elements in society that do not adhere to Islamic doctrines.   One can barely turn on the news without hearing about salafists, a […]

Tunisian elites advocate the need for reform and improvement of the educational system as one of the most strategic sectors. Tunisian Minister of Education, Abdul Latif Obaid, about reforming Tunisia’s educational system, the still illegal revival of traditional Zitouna (religious) education and teacher’s strikes. Minister Obaid, what is your attitude toward the call of Zitouna […]

At moments she keeps her composure, but in other times she collapses.  She uses an assumed name since her family doesn’t know. This is how Mariam lives after having been raped by policemen. “The charge made against me makes me feel like I’ve been raped all over again,” she says in a trembling voice, adding […]

  The Constitutional Drafting Committee of NCA has incorporated a chapter criminalizing the assault on religious sanctities in the initial draft of the constitution, which tries to find an imaginary balance between two contradictory concepts, such as freedom of creativity and respect of sanctities. Relativity of the sanctities   The Constitutional Drafting Committee of NCA […]