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Paris, April 17, 2026
The Free Voice Organization expresses its deep concern regarding the continued targeting of journalists and freedom of expression through recent court rulings against a number of journalists and media professionals, most recently journalist Mekdad Mejri, which has resulted in harsh prison sentences of up to twenty years. Given the nature of the charges and their context, these rulings definitively confirm the de facto authorities’ suppression of press freedom and freedom of expression, and raise serious questions about the availability of guarantees for a fair trial and the independence of the judiciary. They also reflect, in their entirety, a tense climate characterized by an increasing recourse to the courts in dealing with influential media voices.
Voice of Freedom considers the prosecution and harsh sentences imposed on journalists, especially in politically motivated cases, a dangerous precedent that will entrench a climate of fear and self-censorship, threatening the very essence of journalism and its role in informing the public.
Therefore, we at Voice of Freedom:
- Express our strong condemnation of these harsh sentences.
- Call for respect for press freedom and an end to all forms of harassing prosecutions.
- Demand fair trials that meet all the requirements of independence and transparency.
- Affirm that protecting freedom of expression is a fundamental pillar of any democratic system.
Targeting journalists cannot be a solution; rather, it deepens the crisis and undermines the public’s right to information.