A protester shows support to state TV journalists in April 2012 (Photo credit: Rabii Kalboussi)

The Tunis Center for Press Freedom released on Wednesday a review that documented instances of violence against journalists and infringements on press freedom during the past month of December. The center maintains that censorship and acts of physical and verbal violence threaten the freedom of media, which it describes as the fourth branch of government.

According to the review, a total of 36 journalists were subject to aggression in 24 separate instances during outdoor events or inside their very offices. Of the 36 journalists, 13 were subject to physical aggression while covering events despite wearing proper identification.

Many other instances of the kind remain unreported, the document states.

Journalists reported to the Tunis Center for Press Freedom that their attackers justified the aggressions as a disciplinary measure and often sought to stigmatize the journalists as ex-regime holdovers and hindrances to the country’s democratic process. According to the review, TV channel El Hiwar Tounsi was most frequently attacked given its alleged anti-government bent, and the aggressors in question ranged from government employees to Salafist groups.

The National Constituent Assembly (NCA) was the scene of multiple aggressions against journalists, reports the review.

On December 4, journalists from Radio Kalima and news website Tanit reported to the center that members of the League for the Protection of the Revolution used paralyzing gas and sticks to keep the media away from the NCA. The League is an unofficial network that supports the ruling Ennahdha party.

A number of journalists and photographers were physically assaulted as well on December 5 while covering a protest outside the NCA. Journalists from news website Jadal, radio Mosaique FM, and TV channels Nessma and Wataniya were accused of obstructing the NCA’s work.

Defamation was the common legal grounds on which lawsuits were launched against several journalists.

A journalist from “The People’s Voice,” Yassine Nebli, received a notice to appear before the Circuit Criminal Court in Tunis on December 27.  The general manager of an agricultural firm took offense at Nebli’s portrayal of her management in an article published on November 15.

Monia Arfaoui from newspaper publisher Dar Assabah appeared on December 25 before a subcommittee of the Finance Ministry to defend an investigative report that she released concerning the state of Tunisian prisons.

The Tunis Center for Press Freedom cited instances of censorship during December as well. An Ettounsiya TV journalist was prevented from covering a conference in the prime minister’s headquarters while reporters from Al Jazeera saw their work obstructed at a meeting of the UGTT trade union. The website of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists was hacked, and threat notes were left on the site.

The document calls on the Ministry of the Interior to provide sufficient protection to journalists and uncover the unlawful accusations facing certain members of the media.