Journalists staged a rally in support of their colleague Khalifa Guesmi who has been detained since September 2023. The rally coincides with a hearing of Guesmi's case at the Court of Cassation. A correspondent for private radio station "Mosaïque FM" in Kairouan, Guesmi was arrested on September 3, 2023 in execution of an appeal judgement of May 15, 2023 sentencing him to 5 years in prison under the 2015 anti-terrorism law. In November 2022, he was sentenced at first instance to one year in prison for refusing to reveal his source after publishing an article about the dismantling of a terrorist cell in Kairouan. Khalifa Guesmi is accused of publishing information about the dismantling of a terrorist cell in Kairouan. The case against him was opened in March 2022. The journalists raised slogans calling for the release of Khalifa Guesmi and for an end to the misuse of laws that contravene the standards applicable to journalists. "This is a pivotal day in the history of the Tunisian press. It is also a cru cial moment for our future as journalists," President of the National Union of Tunisian Journalsist (SNJT) Zied Dabbar pointed out, considering that the heavy sentence of 5 years has never been imposed on a journalist in the history of the sector. He voiced wish that the court would render justice to journalist Khalifa Guesmi and to all professionals in the sector prosecuted under texts other than the decree-laws organising the media. Pending the verdict of the Court of Cassation, the SNJT has the right to take any form of protest if justice continues to stutter in this case, he said. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse