Taoufik Ben Brik

Taoufik Ben Brik or Taoufik Ben Brick (Arabic توفيق بن بريك, DMG Taufiq b. Barik, born November 9, 1960 in Jérissa, Tunisia) is a Tunisian journalist and writer. Under the beginning of 2011 in Tunisia authoritarian president Zine el- ruling Abidine Ben Ali, he was one of the most critical journalists in the country, was suspended constant persecution and was repeatedly attacked and imprisoned. In 2000, he drew attention with an internationally become known hunger strike on the limitations of the press and freedom of expression in Tunisia. After the revolution in Tunisia 2010/2011, he announced to want to run for the upcoming presidential elections.

Activity under Ben Ali and repression

Ben Brik worked as a journalist for the Tunisian national daily newspaper As- Sahafa to 1990 before he was released there. After Zine el- Abidine Ben Ali had in 1987 assumed the office of President of Tunisia, censorship in Tunisia and the repression of critical reporting increased considerably. So Ben Brik was from 1991 a publication ban in Tunisia and was active in the following years as a freelance journalist for European French-speaking media and news agencies. His reporting was characterized by critical articles and attacked especially the political situation and the human rights situation in Tunisia.

By many measures, the Tunisian government tried to prevent the appearance of critical posts Ben Brik. In the years following its publication ban on the physical and psychological pressure on him and, increasingly, his family was raised, nevertheless appeared repeatedly articles of journalists in European media. First, he was summoned regularly to the Ministry of the Interior, harassed and warned to refrain from critical reports in the future. By his own account he was forbidden according to an article on the hunt visit Saudi Prince in 1993 to write about animals, a few months later, an article about corruption in the market system and a prohibition to write about vegetables. In 1998, the Tunisian authorities began to systematically censor editions of foreign newspapers in which Ben Brik's article appeared. With this measure, he should become an economic burden for the publisher, which orders for him to be unattractive.

After Taoufik Ben Brik continue reported critically, took direct action to his living environment. Several times he was prevented from leaving Tunisia, including through non-renewal of his passport. In addition, at times the phone lines of his house have been cut or intercepted mail documents. As of 1999, there has been an increase in attacks on him and other family members by the police in civilian clothes and uniform. After the situation in the episode had significantly worsened, he decided on 3 April 2000 to a hunger strike.

Hunger strike in 2000

In addition to the The sharp rise in pressure due to constant persecution and attacks Ben Brik wanted to draw attention to the re- collection of his passport and the general situation in Tunisia. In addition, he was threatened with a long prison sentence for " defamation of state bodies ". The hunger strike was held in the premises of the publishing house Aloès held in Tunis, which had been only a year earlier Bensedrine founded by Tunisian and European intellectuals, including, .

A broader public perception of the action initially did not take place, the circle of Supportive was small and also threatened by repression. Ben Brik quickly took off strong and was first admitted three weeks later in a hospital. The publishing spaces where the action took place previously, were closed because of " disturbing public order " by the authorities and sealed, preventing the work of the publisher. Only now the hunger strike was discussed in European media and drew solidarity statements and actions by themselves. Foreign journalists were prevented from visiting Ben Brik. Tunisian media reported still not out of the event. Only television reports foreign broadcasters and the mass mirrors solidary internet sites and the excessive demands of Internet censorship led to a perception in Tunisia. On the occasion of World Day of Press Freedom, President Ben Ali was forced to the " Ben Brik affair " to mention and downplay.

The government was forced to give way and lifted the travel ban on May 2. Ben Brik was given back his passport, continued his hunger strike continues, however, to secure the release of his now arrested brother. On May 4, he traveled from Paris to continue his hunger strike there without repression. It was only on 15 May, he finished the action, after his brother was released.

Taoufik Ben Brik A few months later returned to Tunisia. The hunger strike Ben Brik was followed in the following years many other actions of this kind of other journalists and people in Tunisia.

Other activities

Upon his return, Ben Brik continued working as a freelance journalist of European media and published several books. He was also subjected to severe repression. After critical reports he was placed under house arrest. In 2009, he was arrested after a car accident and imprisoned for six months. He was accused of assaulting a woman in the incident. Human rights organizations such as Reporters Without Borders accused the Tunisian government to have staged and hyped the case. The arrest took place a few days after the presidential election, the Ben Brik had accompanied with critical articles.

In January 2011, President Ben Ali fled to the Tunisian revolution from the country. After the upheavals Taoufik Ben Brik announced his intention to run in the first announced in mid-2011 presidential elections. The elections were now been postponed to the end of 2012. He criticized the transitional government and the moderate Islamist party Ennahda, which received the most votes in the elections to the Constituent Assembly in October 2011.