Boukaddous sentenced to 4 years prison after an unfair lawsuit

The Appeal Court of Gafsa sentenced on the 6th of July the journalist Fahem BOUKADDOUS to a 4 years prison; he was charged of “participating in a criminal association with the intention of harming people and their property.” From his hospital bed, Fahem Boukaddous stated: "The police can come at anytime to pull me out from my bed and put me into their inhuman jails, I can only suffer stoically from this sentence issued by a compliant judicial system, but my life is in danger and they can lead me to death! "
This charge is related to video reports he made in 2008 for el Hiwar el Tounissi TV concerning the demonstrations in the Gafsa mining region.
In flagrant violation of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Court has rejected the defense’s request to postpone the hearing and had delivered its verdict without pleading, while the defense had prestented the medical documents proving that Fahem Boukaddous is currently hospitalized in Farhat Hached’s Pneumology Service in Sousse and his condition does not allow him to move.
During the hearing, the police had surrounded the courthouse and prohibited the access to journalists and local observers.
The day before the lawsuit, on July 5, the police had put pressure on an intern of the hospital who had taken advantage from the absence of the physician and his department chief to sign the release of Fahem Boukaddous; but due to his protests and the department chief arrival, the patient was returned to intensive care. His doctor had confirmed that his condition do not allow him to withstand travel to Gafsa to attend his lawsuit.
OLPEC issued an alert stating " it is once again a political based lawsuit that punishes ordinary journalistic activity, protected by the Tunisian and international laws."