Tunisian journalists on hunger strike

Four Tunisian journalists working for Dar Assabah newspaper have started a hunger strike to protest against the appointment of Lofti Touati - former Interior Minister as the new General Director of the newspaper. The former minister was given this position by the Tunisian Prime Minister and was approved by the company’s directors a few weeks ago.   The Dar Assabah organisation has more than 200 employees, workers and journalists. It issues three newspapers including: the daily Arabic language newspaper “Assabah”, French language newspaper “Le Temps” and the Arabic language weekly “Assabah Weekly”. The organisation was previously owned by Sakhar al-Materi, relative of the overthrown president. The protesting journalists are also demanding the bonus they were promised. Journalist Asia Atrous told Arabstoday that the four journalists who started a hunger strike demand the expulsion of the General Director. They also want fairer contracts. Monia Arfaoui worked for Assabah for five years and she stil does not benefit from employment security. Her contract expired last Monday, which means she could be fired if her contract is not renewed. The journalists on hunger strike are Sabah Chebbi, Nizar Dridi, Ali Zaidi, Hamdi Mezhoud and Monia Arfaoui. The New General Director, Lotfi Touati, worked as a journalist in the French language “Le Quotidien” daily newspaper, which is part of “Dar al-Anwar” private organization, the main competitor of Dar Assabah. Some of the journalists have accused Touati of using Dar Assabah newspapers to show the Annahda movement in a positive light for the next elections, which he denied.