Tunisia Hollows Out Its Media Landscape Ahead of Elections

Clampdown Stifles Diverse Voices, Political Debate

When veteran journalist Elyes Gharbi announced on June 28 that he was leaving the “Midi Show” on Tunisia’s leading radio station, Mosaïque FM, after nine years, he did not explain why. However, Gharbi’s decision came just months after he acknowledged “unbelievable threats” against journalism in the country and a year after police investigated him for comments made on the show.

As Tunisia gears up for its first presidential election since…