The Tunisian presidency fired the director of the national television channel on Wednesday after two guests were briefly barred from entering their studios to participate in a program.
The removal of Wataniya’s chief executive comes after President Kais Saied suspended parliament and removed the prime minister on Sunday, in what opponents have called a coup.
On Monday, Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera said police had forced its Tunisian office to close, adding to fears that civil liberties and freedom of the press were at risk in the fledgling democracy.
The firing of Wataniya president Lassaad Dahech came hours after a journalism union representative and an activist were blocked from entering the channel’s offices on Wednesday.
Amira Mohamed, vice president of the SNJT union, said she was stopped at the entrance by a security agent who was waiting for authorization from the channel’s management to allow her to enter.
Human rights activist Bassem Trifi, who was also prevented from entering, said he had been told it was not Wataniya’s decision.
“The executive director of Wataniya told me that he had received instructions from a military officer not to allow guests to enter television studios,” he said.
But the defense ministry and the president’s office said they had not issued such instructions.
A few hours later, a statement from the president’s office said Saied had issued a decree relieving Dahech of his responsibilities and instructing Awatef Dali to take over temporarily.
Saied has said that his suspension from parliament and subsequent actions are justified by the constitution, which allows the head of state to take unspecified exceptional measures in the event of an “imminent threat.”
He has insisted that he will protect civil liberties.
On Wednesday, he also issued decrees firing a long list of top government officials, including the army’s chief prosecutor.
–
