Tunisia: Human rights activist facing trial for denouncing pollution in Tunisia

Human rights activist facing trial for denouncing pollution in Tunisia Amnesty International is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights activist Zouheir Makhlouf, who was denied bail when he appeared in court yesterday. [...] The organization considers him a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and for his peaceful opposition to the Tunisian government. [...] He was charged under Article 86 of the Tunisian Telecommunication Code with “harming or disturbing others via the public telecommunications networks” and could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to 1000 Tunisian Dinars (around 520 Euros) if he is convicted. [...] His arrest and prosecution follows his publication of a video about pollution, lack of infrastructure and basic services in the industrial zone of the city of Nabeul, some 60 km southeast of Tunis, The video was published on Facebook in early October 2009 and Zouheir Makhlouf is believed to have been planning also to write a report on the pollution for publication in the opposition newspaper al-Ma [...] The video was filmed as part of Zouheir Makhlouf’s campaign for election to the Tunisian parliament on behalf of the opposition Progressive Democratic Party, though the party subsequently decided not to contest the elections, held on 25 October.