After an investigating judge issued a pretrial detention order on 8 September against journalist Mohamed Yousfi, arrested on 4 September on suspicion of illicit enrichment and money laundering, the SNJT journalists' union accused the court of violating due process: the union said the interrogation had not been completed, the defence had not been heard, and the ruling was made in Yousfi's absence, after which his lawyers refused to sign the record. SNJT held the authorities responsible for Yousfi's health, after he underwent emergency appendix surgery while in custody, and said pretrial detention must not become a way to punish journalists in advance. The union declared a "state of journalistic emergency" and vowed media resistance.
Source:
Kapitalis · Tuesday, 8 September 2026
Credit rating agency Fitch affirmed Tunisia's long-term rating at "B-" with a stable outlook on 8 September, while warning of significant vulnerabilities in public finances: a budget deficit of 6.4% of GDP is expected in 2026 and public debt around 85% of GDP through 2028. Fitch flagged domestic financing as the next source of risk, since the central bank (BCT) plans to withdraw from directly financing the state from 2027, while Tunisian banks are already heavily exposed to state financing. On the positive side, Fitch noted Tunisia fully repaid its sole outstanding eurobond, worth 700 million euros, in July.
As of 6 September the EU ended the flexibility period that had let border authorities suspend certain biometric checks during peak times, and the Entry/Exit System (EES), which registers passport data, biometrics and entry/exit dates for non-EU travellers, now applies in full at Schengen's external borders. Wait times may run longer than under the old manual checks, according to airline body IATA, which warned of multi-hour queues at some European airports over the summer. The change does not specifically target Tunisians and is not a new border restriction, but the end of a temporary easing brought in to manage congestion.
Source:
Webdo · Tuesday, 8 September 2026
