Tunisian radio journalist Mourad Zghidi is serving a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence on alleged money laundering crimes, following his May 2024 arrest on false news and defamation charges under Decree 54 on cybercrime.
On May 11, 2024, forces from the counterterrorism investigation unit of the Tunisian National Police arrested Zghidi, a journalist at local independent IFM radio station who presents a morning show, “L’emmission Impossible,” from his home in the capital Tunis, and brought him to El-Gorjani police station in Tunis for questioning. His colleague, Borhen Bsaies, was arrested the same day.
On May 22, 2024, a Tunis court convicted the two men of one count each of false news and defamation, and sentencedthem to six months in prison each on each count, totaling one year. An appeals court on July 30 upheld their convictions and reduced their sentences to eight months in prison.
Zghidi and Bsaies were charged under cybercrime Decree 54, which was introduced by President Kais Saied in September 2022 as part of a new constitution. That document replaced what was considered one of the most progressive in the Arab world and omitted many of the prior constitution’s protections of rights and freedoms.
Zghidi was questioned about a Facebook post and nine video clips from his IFM radio show from early 2024, supporting journalist Mohamed Boughaleb, who is imprisoned for questioning government spending. IFM Radio shares its shows in audio on the radio and in video on YouTube.
On May 27, 2024, the spokesperson for the Tunis Court of First Instance announced that the public prosecutor had ordered an investigation into Zghidi and Bsaies for alleged money laundering, in connection with suspicion of illicit enrichment and illegal ownership of company shares and properties. On December 3, the public prosecutor charged Zghidi and Bsaies with money laundering and ordered their detention pending investigation. Local journalists told CPJ that the new charge is a tool to silence Zghidi and Bsaies and prolong their time behind bars.
On January 22, 2026, Bsaies and Mourad Zghidi appeared before the criminal chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance, where each were sentenced to three and a half years in prison and ordered to pay heavy fines, alongside asset seizures. These included over 20,000 dinars and company-share confiscations for Bsaies, and more than 112,000 dinars plus an additional 30,000-dinar fine for Zghidi. Their lawyers are expected to appeal the ruling.
Zghidi is held in Mornaguia prison, and his health appears to be stable, his sister Mariam Zghidi told CPJ over the phone.
In Janaury 2026, CPJ emailed the president’s office requesting comment on Zghidi’s case, but did not receive any reply.