Boukadous was arrested after an appeals court in Tunisia upheld a criminal conviction and prison sentence handed down in connection with his coverage of 2008 labor protests in the Gafsa mining region.
A correspondent for the Italy-based satellite television broadcaster Al-Hiwar al-Tunisi, Boukadous had been sentenced to a four-year prison term on charges of “belonging to a criminal association” and spreading materials “likely to harm public order.”
Boukadous was taken into custody a day after he left a hospital in the city of Sousse, where he was being treated for acute asthma. Colleagues and family said they were very concerned about Boukadous’ health. In October, Boukadous waged a hunger strike to protest his detention at Gafsa Prison.