Tunisian journalists denounce Rabat's 'immoral' media campaign against Tunisia

Tunisia's National Union of Journalists (SNJT) denounced Monday a "systematic media campaign launched by certain Moroccan media" against Tunisia following Tunis-Rabat's recent diplomatic dispute.

"We reject all forms of deviation in the Moroccan media and others' handling of this official political and diplomatic debate into immoral campaigns targeting Tunisia's image and harming its interests," said the SNJT in a press release.

Over the weekend, Morocco and Tunisia engaged in a diplomatic tit-for-tat over Kais Saied's hosting of Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front, a separatist movement claiming sovereignty over the Rabat-controlled territory of Western Sahara.

Morocco reacted furiously to Tunis' "hostile" and "unnecessarily provocative act" by immediately withdrawing its Tunis ambassador for consultations.

In response, Tunisia recalled its ambassador to Rabat for consultations.

Moroccan influencers, politicians and journalists collectively condemned Kais Saied's "stab in the back".

On Monday, the new publications of Moroccan newspapers dedicated their first pages to the new North African diplomatic stalemate.

"A Tunisian president working with Algerian gas," "Tunisia, the backyard of Algeria," and similar headlines linking Saied’s move to "an Algerian interference" were seen all over newspaper stalls in Rabat.

In reaction, the SNJT warned, "against the danger of the continuous and explicit instrumentalisation of this affair by Moroccan and foreign media for the benefit of some political agendas."

The Tunisian Journalists' Union also urged local media to handle the targeting campaigns responsibly, defend Tunisia's sovereignty and report facts objectively.

Tunisia and Algeria reconciled in July and reopened land borders after a two-year-long silent political dispute. 

Among the files that may have contributed to the silent tensions is Algeria's criticism of Saied’s power grab and Tunisia's "neutral" position on Western Sahara.

Ahmed Ounaies, former Tunisian Foreign Minister, said that "Algeria may have tried to pressure Tunisia to align with its position on the Western Sahara conflict."

With Rabat and Algiers, both seeking regional leadership in the region and accepting no neutrality over the dispute over Western Sahara, neighbours and international partners have been forced lately to pick up a side.