'Case against Tunisia media company is politicised and malicious', defence team says

The defence team of Instalingo, which specialises in the production of content and digital communication in Tunisia, said yesterday that it considers “the case filed against it as political, aiming to liquidate political figures.”

In a press conference held by the defence team in the capital, Tunis, Mukhtar Al-Jamai said: “The political situation the country is experiencing has been exploited to raise the case and settle political disputes.”

“The case is completely politicised and malicious,” he added.

According to Al-Jamai, “the head of the Ennahda movement, Rashid Ghannouchi, has nothing to do with the company, and he has never dealt with or benefited from it.”

There are currently 32 defendants in the Instalingo case in Tunisia and a number of the company’s employees have been detained and charged with “committing a dangerous act against the head of state”, “conspiracy against the internal security of the state” and espionage.

The investigations included several journalists, bloggers, freelancers and politicians such as the speaker of the dissolved parliament Rached Ghannouchi, his daughter and son-in-law Rafik Abdessalem, and the former official spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Mohamed Ali Aroui.

Tunisian authorities did not immediately comment on the company’s remarks but have come under repeated criticism for quashing freedom of speech and expression since President Kais Saied took over executive powers in July 2021 and dissolved parliament.

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