Global Pulse

分类： politics

  • Mexico says US agents killed in crash weren’t permitted to operate there

    Mexico says US agents killed in crash weren’t permitted to operate there

    A deadly car crash that killed two American agents and two Mexican law enforcement officials has ignited a new diplomatic row between Mexico and the United States, shining a harsh light on long-running frictions over counter-narcotics cooperation and national sovereignty.

    The April 19 crash occurred as the American agents were part of a convoy returning from a mission to destroy suspected illegal methamphetamine laboratories in the remote mountain terrain of Mexico’s northern state of Chihuahua. After their vehicle skidded off the winding mountain road, it plunged into a deep ravine and exploded. Along with the two U.S. citizens, two investigators from the Chihuahua State Investigation Agency also lost their lives in the incident.

    Following a full investigation ordered by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s security ministry has formally confirmed that neither of the two U.S. agents, who U.S. media reports link to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), held the required formal accreditation to conduct operational activities on Mexican soil. Mexican authorities were never notified of their presence or the mission they were carrying out, the ministry said in an official statement released Saturday.

    Immigration records show the two agents entered Mexico through separate channels: one arrived on a standard visitor visa, while the other traveled using a diplomatic passport. Per Mexican federal law, no foreign security personnel may conduct active operational work within the country’s borders without explicit prior approval from national authorities, a regulation the agents violated in this case. Chihuahua’s state attorney general César Jáuregui initially described the pair as “instructor officers” from the U.S. embassy conducting routine training as part of standard law enforcement exchange programs, a characterization that contradicted the findings of the federal investigation.

    President Sheinbaum has repeatedly pushed back against unapproved foreign activity on Mexican territory, reaffirming this stance in the wake of the crash. She made clear that while ongoing intelligence-sharing with the U.S. continues, “there are no joint operations on land or in the air” between the two nations. Her government has been firm that any foreign presence on Mexican soil requires explicit federal clearance, and that the country’s national sovereignty cannot be breached.

    The incident comes at a moment of already strained bilateral relations, with counter-narcotics and border security emerging as two of the most contentious points of disagreement. U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Sheinbaum’s administration to escalate its crackdown on drug trafficking across the U.S.-Mexico border, while also repeatedly criticizing Mexico over undocumented migration. Sheinbaum has declined repeated offers of U.S.-led counter-narcotics operations on Mexican territory, even as her government has launched aggressive anti-drug initiatives in recent months to ease tensions with Washington.

    This is not the first revelation of covert CIA activity in Mexico. A September 2024 Reuters investigation exposed that the CIA has run secret operations in Mexico for years, focused on tracking down high-profile drug kingpins. The investigation found that with limited informal approval from previous Mexican administrations, the agency has provided specialized training, equipment and funding for select Mexican security units, including covering operational travel costs. Sheinbaum has consistently maintained her administration will collaborate with Washington on shared security goals, while drawing a firm line against any unauthorized deployment of U.S. personnel on Mexican soil.

  • Rights groups critical as Venezuela prisoner release scheme ‘coming to an end’

    Rights groups critical as Venezuela prisoner release scheme ‘coming to an end’

    Just nine weeks after Venezuela’s amnesty program for political prisoners launched, interim President Delcy Rodríguez announced the scheme was reaching its conclusion – a decision that has sparked fierce condemnation from human rights and prisoner advocacy organizations across the country.\n\nThe amnesty law, first introduced by the National Assembly, was designed to grant release to thousands of people detained on political charges during the administration of former President Nicolás Maduro. According to prominent Venezuelan prisoner rights group Foro Penal, roughly 473 political prisoners have been freed so far, but the organization estimates more than 500 remain behind bars. The president of the National Assembly – Jorge Rodríguez, Delcy Rodríguez’s brother – previously stated that over 1,500 political prisoners had submitted amnesty applications, and the legislation was ultimately expected to cover as many as 11,000 qualifying individuals.\n\nDelcy Rodríguez pushed back against these figures during a Friday meeting of justice officials in Caracas, claiming that 8,616 people had already benefited from the program, which she described as “very successful in terms of its scope and the number of beneficiaries”. For unresolved cases not covered by the existing law, she added, alternative legal pathways would be available to address outstanding claims.\n\nHuman rights groups have universally rejected the interim president’s move, arguing she lacks legal authority to end a program approved by the National Assembly that carries no formal expiration date. Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of Foro Penal, noted that only a new legislative act or national referendum could legally revoke the amnesty law. He further criticized Venezuela’s existing justice institutions, saying “the bodies of the administration of justice, which are part of the same repressive system that made an amnesty necessary, never truly had either the willingness or the capacity to apply the amnesty law while respecting its purpose or principles.”\n\nLeading rights watchdog Provea echoed these concerns, labeling the decision to end releases “arbitrary and unconstitutional”. In a statement, the organization emphasized that ending the program early “does not contribute to the process of co-existence and peace that has been announced”, adding that “despite its limitations, the Amnesty Law is a first step toward dismantling the repressive framework that has gripped the rights of the Venezuelan population in recent years.” Another advocacy group, Justice, Encounter and Pardon, called the announcement “a grave assault on the rule of law”, noting that the development confirmed fears the law would amount to nothing more than empty political rhetoric rather than a tangible tool to free detained dissidents.\n\nThe current political context of Venezuela frames this controversy: Delcy Rodríguez, a former top ally of Maduro who served as his vice president, received the backing of former U.S. President Donald Trump after U.S. forces detained Maduro in January on drug trafficking charges, which Maduro faces trial for in New York. Trump’s decision to support Rodríguez over prominent opposition leader María Corina Machado surprised many political observers, who have characterized the move as a U.S. choice to prioritize short-term stability over rapid democratic transition. The release of political prisoners, including several of Machado’s allies, was a key concession the interim administration made to Washington to secure U.S. backing. Earlier this month, the U.S. lifted sanctions on Rodríguez, citing progress on “promote stability, support economic recovery and advance political reconciliation”.\n\nU.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described Venezuela’s current status as a “transition phase” ahead of planned “free and fair” elections, and Machado has stated she will step forward to lead the country when the time is right. But critics of the interim administration have raised alarms that there has been little public progress or discussion of organizing democratic elections in the months since Maduro was removed from power. For advocates of political freedom in Venezuela, the early end to the amnesty program has deepened concerns that the new administration is not committed to breaking from the repressive policies of its predecessor.

  • Princess of Wales pays tribute to Anzac war dead

    Princess of Wales pays tribute to Anzac war dead

    Each year on Anzac Day, nations around the world pause to honor the courage and sacrifice of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose legacy stretches back to the disastrous 1915 Gallipoli campaign of World War I. This year, senior members of the British Royal Family led official commemorations across London, honoring more than 100,000 troops who lost their lives in the campaign that shaped ANZAC identity forever.

    The day’s formal events began in the pre-dawn darkness, when Princess Anne joined hundreds of attendees for a moving memorial service at London’s Wellington Arch. Organized in partnership by the high commissions of Australia and New Zealand, the service saw the Princess Royal lay a ceremonial wreath at the arch’s memorial. The gathering heard a recital of John McCrae’s iconic war poem *In Flanders Fields*, and the ceremony concluded with performances of the national anthems of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia, uniting attendees from three nations in remembrance.

    As the day progressed, the Princess of Wales Catherine took forward the tradition of remembrance at Whitehall’s Cenotaph. There, she placed a handcrafted wreath of red remembrance poppies interwoven with white flowers, a subtle design echoing the feather motif of the Prince of Wales’ official crest. Attached to the wreath was a personal note signed jointly by Catherine and Prince William, which paid solemn tribute to “soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

    Following the wreath-laying at Whitehall, the service proceeded with deep ceremonial tradition: Reverend Dr Lyndon Drake recited verses from Laurence Binyon’s *For The Fallen*, the iconic poem that has anchored remembrance services for a century. A trumpeter from the Royal Marines Portsmouth Road Band performed the haunting notes of The Last Post, after which the entire gathering fell silent for a full minute to honor the dead. Hamish Cooper, New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK, and Jay Weatherill, Australia’s High Commissioner, walked side-by-side to lay their own official wreaths at the memorial, marking the shared bond of the two ANZAC nations. Catherine joined attendees in singing the hymn *O God Our Help in Ages Past* before uniformed service personnel marched from Whitehall to a subsequent service of commemoration and thanksgiving at nearby Westminster Abbey.

    After the conclusion of the Westminster Abbey service, Catherine took time to speak with dozens of military families in attendance, many of whom still carry the legacy of ANZAC losses across generations.

    To place the day in historical context, the 1915 Gallipoli campaign was launched as a British-led offensive against the Ottoman Empire, with the strategic goal of opening a secure naval route through the Dardanelles strait from the Mediterranean to Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul. The offensive stalled into a brutal months-long campaign that dragged into 1916, ending in an Allied withdrawal with the catastrophic loss of more than 100,000 troops from both Allied and Ottoman forces. Today, Anzac Day honors not just the dead of Gallipoli, but all ANZAC service members who have fallen in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping missions across the globe.

    Commemorative events were not limited to London. Services were held simultaneously across Australia, New Zealand, and on the Gallipoli peninsula itself, where thousands gather each year to mark the anniversary. In the French Somme region village of Villers-Bretonneux, which was successfully defended by Australian troops during World War I, local and international events also marked the day of remembrance. The British Royal Family marked the occasion officially on social media platform X, reaffirming the UK’s shared bond of remembrance with Australia and New Zealand.

  • Two killed in strike on alleged drug boat in Pacific Ocean, US military says

    Two killed in strike on alleged drug boat in Pacific Ocean, US military says

    The United States Southern Command has confirmed that American military forces carried out a fresh lethal strike against a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of two people on board. The combatant command, whose operational jurisdiction spans South America, Central America and the Caribbean, made the announcement via a public post on the social platform X on Friday.

    US military officials stated that intelligence assessments definitively linked the targeted vessel to active narco-trafficking activity, noting it was traveling along well-documented smuggling corridors that criminal networks regularly use to move illicit narcotics in the Eastern Pacific. This latest operation marks a continuation of a sweeping campaign that first launched under the Trump administration back in September, which has seen dozens of similar strikes carried out against suspect trafficking craft.

    In their official statement, Southern Command confirmed that “two male narco-terrorists” were killed in the April 24 kinetic strike, and added that no American service members were injured during the operation. The command detailed: “At the direction of Southern Command commander Gen. Francis L Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.” Alongside the announcement, the task force published verified footage showing what analysts identify as a small fishing-style vessel being hit, triggering a massive explosion that engulfed the craft in flames.

    Since the campaign’s launch, US forces have carried out dozens of strikes against boats that US officials claim are moving large quantities of illicit drugs toward American borders. Data from CBS News, the US-based partner of the BBC, shows that more than 180 people have been killed in these operations over the past eight months.

    However, the entire campaign has faced growing scrutiny, as the US military has so far failed to release public evidence confirming that the targeted boats were actually carrying drugs or were crewed by confirmed drug smugglers. This lack of transparency has fueled widespread criticism from legal and human rights groups, who have raised urgent questions about the legality of the cross-border strikes. A number of international legal experts have argued that the operations may violate established international law, as they target unidentified people on the high seas without providing any opportunity for due process to rule out civilian involvement.

    The Trump administration has repeatedly defended the campaign, maintaining that all strikes are conducted in full compliance with domestic and international law. In a formal statement submitted to Congress last year, the White House said that President Trump had formally determined the United States is in a state of armed conflict with transnational drug cartels, and that all crew members of drug smuggling boats qualify as enemy combatants eligible for targeting.

    Strike frequency has dropped noticeably since January, when US forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the Trump administration has accused of collaborating with transnational criminal networks in narco-terrorism operations. Maduro has repeatedly and vehemently denied all such allegations.

  • Leaders of France and Greece say the EU’s defense splurge is no alternative to the NATO alliance

    Leaders of France and Greece say the EU’s defense splurge is no alternative to the NATO alliance

    ATHENS, Greece — During a diplomatic visit to the Greek capital on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron has clarified the European Union’s accelerated push to strengthen collective defensive capabilities, emphasizing that the initiative is not designed to create a parallel alliance to replace NATO. Instead, it directly responds to a decade of repeated calls from the United States for European nations to take greater ownership of their own regional security.

    Macron made the remarks following official talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, stressing that the EU has no intention of undermining the transatlantic alliance that binds North America and Europe in collective security. He noted that U.S. leaders have pressed European countries to increase their security responsibility for years, putting the request sometimes politely, sometimes with more urgency. “The core lesson we have to take away is that we can no longer remain reliant on others for our defense,” Macron stated. “We must build up a strong European pillar within NATO, and grow a cohesive European defense sector — this effort is not directed against any nation, and it is never meant to be an alternative to our existing alliances.”

    Mitsotakis fully backed Macron’s position, arguing that Washington should welcome the EU’s growing commitment to defense self-reliance and increased defense investment. He called the longstanding U.S. demand for European higher defense spending entirely justified.

    Macron’s stop in Athens came after he attended an informal EU leaders’ summit in Cyprus. The primary purpose of his Greek visit was to reaffirm a bilateral 2021 Franco-Greek defense partnership, which includes binding mutual assistance that requires each nation to come to the other’s aid in the event of an armed attack.

    Macron underlined the ironclad nature of this commitment: “This mutual assurance and assistance clause is inviolable, it is not open to negotiation between our two countries. There are no question marks, no room for doubt — and any potential or actual adversary must understand this clearly.”

    The 3 billion-euro bilateral defense deal has already delivered major military upgrades to Greece, including the acquisition of 24 Rafale fighter jets and four advanced frigates. On Saturday, the two leaders toured one of the newly delivered frigates, the Kimon. For years, Greece has faced persistent geopolitical tensions with neighboring Turkey, leading Athens to carry out a sweeping overhaul of its military capabilities. France has emerged as Greece’s primary supplier for this modernization push, with deals including the versatile French MICA anti-air missile system, deployable on aircraft, ground platforms, and warships.

    Both leaders framed the Franco-Greek defense partnership as a model for the rest of the EU to follow, arguing that closer cross-border collaboration can strengthen the 27-nation bloc’s defense industrial competitiveness. Mitsotakis called on EU member states to set aside “national egotism” that shields domestic defense industries from cross-border competition, urging governments to pursue more cross-border industrial mergers to achieve the economies of scale needed for large-scale defense production.

    Macron echoed this call, stressing that European defense industry must prioritize innovation to deliver higher-quality, more competitive defense products that can generate the revenue needed to fund the bloc’s long-term defense goals. “The Franco-Greek relationship is a perfect example of what all European nations should do: we need to buy more European defense products, manufacture more goods within the EU, and drive more innovation here at home,” he said.

    The two leaders also highlighted Article 42.7, the EU’s own collective mutual defense clause, which Macron emphasized is far more than symbolic rhetoric. He pointed to the rapid deployment of French and Greek warships to Cyprus earlier this March, after a Shahed drone attack targeted a British military base on the island — the first direct drone attack on EU territory linked to the ongoing Iran war — as concrete proof of the bloc’s commitment to mutual defense.

    Turning to global energy security concerns amid tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, Macron urged against unnecessary public panic over potential fuel shortages. Around one-fifth of the world’s daily oil and gas supplies pass through the strategic waterway, which has faced widespread disruption amid the ongoing conflict. Macron said current fuel supplies remain “fully under control” and that he does not expect widespread shortages to occur. He added that the EU remains fully committed to diplomatic efforts to reopen the strait to full commercial traffic, even as he acknowledged it will take time for stability to return to the region.

    As a major global shipping power, Greece has a direct stake in the strait’s future. Mitsotakis said any diplomatic resolution to the current crisis must include a non-negotiable guarantee of full, unimpeded freedom of navigation through the strait, with no arbitrary tolls imposed on passing commercial vessels — a return to the status quo that existed before the outbreak of the Iran war.

  • The devil still dances: Dead end

    The devil still dances: Dead end

    Over the past month, consecutive provocative actions by Japanese political and military actors have laid bare the accelerating momentum of Japan’s neo-militarist shift, a trend that poses growing alarm for peace and security across the Indo-Pacific region. Within just 30 days, four high-profile developments marked this alarming trajectory: an active-duty member of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces carried out a knife-wielding forced intrusion into the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo; Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Ikazuchi transited the sensitive Taiwan Strait; Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent ritual offerings to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, a site that symbolizes Japan’s wartime imperial aggression; and the Japanese government finalized sweeping revisions to its Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, removing long-standing restrictions on arms exports.

    Since Takaichi assumed office last year, right-wing forces across Japan have advanced at an unprecedented pace to dismantle the country’s post-war peaceful framework, erasing the decades-long facade of a pacifist nation one step at a time. This shift has included erroneous and provocative remarks challenging the status quo on the Taiwan question, incremental but steady expansions of Japan’s regional military footprint, and ongoing lobbying efforts to revise the country’s post-war pacifist constitution. Each of these moves has renewed and amplified the serious threat Japan’s rightward shift poses to regional peace and stability.

    The lessons of 20th century history could not be clearer. In the decades leading up to World War II, Japan’s militarist expansion was systematically enabled by state-sponsored deception and public manipulation, which hid the true ambitions of imperial leaders from the Japanese public. The wars of aggression that followed inflicted untold suffering and massive loss of life across East and Southeast Asia, while also bringing catastrophic destruction and ruin to the Japanese people themselves. Eighty years after the end of World War II, Japan’s modern right-wing movement appears determined to repeat this historic mistake, steering the country back toward the abyss of militarization on a path that will harm both regional neighbors and Japan’s own people.

    For the Japanese public, this escalating trend demands the highest level of vigilance. The future of Japan does not rest in the dangerous, false promises peddled by right-wing nationalist groups. Instead, lasting prosperity and security for the country can only be found through a full, unflinching reckoning with its history of aggression, the building of sustained, trusting friendly relations with neighboring Asian nations, and a continued commitment to upholding shared regional peace and development. To continue down the current path is to walk straight toward an unavoidable dead end for all involved.

  • Xi, president of Cape Verde exchange congratulations on 50th anniversary of ties

    Xi, president of Cape Verde exchange congratulations on 50th anniversary of ties

    BEIJING — On Saturday, China’s President Xi Jinping and Cape Verde’s President Jose Maria Neves exchanged official congratulatory messages to celebrate the five-decade milestone of diplomatic relations between the two nations, bringing renewed attention to the long-standing bilateral partnership between China and the West African island country.

    This 50-year anniversary marks a half-century of steadily growing cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and mutual respect between Beijing and Praia. The diplomatic exchange comes as both sides have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaborative ties across areas including infrastructure development, trade, climate action, and cultural exchange in recent years.

    As a developing small island nation, Cape Verde has benefited from China’s South-South cooperation initiatives over the decades, with Chinese investment and technical support contributing to key national infrastructure projects that have boosted local economic growth and improved public living standards. Meanwhile, the two countries have maintained consistent coordination on international and regional affairs, upholding the principles of multilateralism and the common interests of developing nations.

    The exchange of congratulations for this golden anniversary lays a clear foundation for further expanding bilateral cooperation in the coming years, as both sides look to build on 50 years of positive engagement to advance shared goals and deepen friendship between the Chinese and Cape Verdean peoples. The announcement of this diplomatic exchange was officially updated by Xinhua News Agency on April 25, 2026.

  • Hubei to boost role in central region growth

    Hubei to boost role in central region growth

    At a press briefing held Friday in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, senior regional officials outlined an ambitious 5-year strategy to leverage the province’s unique geographic advantage and integrated transport infrastructure to reinforce its role as a core driver for Central China’s rise, while expanding its contributions to both the national domestic market and the global economy through 2030.

    Governor Li Dianxun noted that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), Hubei will combine the strengths of its comprehensive multi-modal transport network—covering inland waterways, high-speed and conventional rail, intercity highways, commercial aviation, and energy pipelines—to build one of the most efficient logistics and transport ecosystems in inland China. A standout asset in this network is Ezhou Huahu International Airport, Asia’s first purpose-built air cargo hub, which launched commercial operations four years ago and already boasts the largest number of air cargo routes across China.

    According to data from local newspaper Hubei Daily, the airport currently operates 117 cargo routes, 56 of which are international services connecting 57 destinations across five continents, establishing a robust global cargo connectivity framework for the region. Beyond infrastructure expansion, Li added that Hubei will target reduced logistics costs and improved operational efficiency by attracting leading modern logistics firms, streamlining processes across cargo collection, long-haul transport, centralized warehousing, and last-mile distribution, while partnering with international stakeholders to expand cross-border logistics networks.

    Executive Vice-Governor Zhang Wenbing pointed out that Hubei holds an unmatched geographic advantage, sitting at the natural intersection linking China’s economically developed eastern coast with the fast-growing western interior, and connecting the northern and southern regions of the country. Its multi-modal transport system has seen consistent upgrading in recent years, with Hubei’s total high-speed rail mileage ranking fifth nationwide. As of the end of the first quarter of 2026, Xinhua News Agency reports, the province’s operational high-speed rail network has expanded to 2,585 kilometers, enabling 1 to 2-hour rail connections from Wuhan to multiple neighboring provincial capitals including Changsha (Hunan), Nanchang (Jiangxi), Hefei (Anhui), and Zhengzhou (Henan).

    Under the new development plan, Zhang said Hubei will continue upgrading key inter-regional transport corridors, constructing large-scale integrated transport hubs, and strengthening the province’s end-to-end logistics system. Key projects include developing a modern international shipping center along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and establishing a national assembly and distribution center for China-Europe freight trains in Wuhan. In addition to expanding Huahu Airport’s cargo capacity, the province will also enhance the passenger service capabilities of Wuhan Tianhe International Airport to support growing business, tourism, and people-to-people exchange demand.

    Officials also emphasized that Hubei will deepen mutually beneficial practical cooperation with global partners across multiple sectors, including cross-border trade, direct investment, scientific and technological innovation, financial cooperation, and cultural exchange. Early signs of this growing global engagement are already visible: Wuhan-based construction firm China Construction Third Bureau First Engineering Co. reported strong overseas performance in the first quarter of 2026, with newly signed overseas contracts doubling year-on-year and overseas output value jumping 96 percent from the same period last year.

    Ma Yikui, general manager of the company’s international business division, said the firm has prioritized high-growth key markets including Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia, establishing dedicated regional marketing centers and optimizing project development mechanisms to secure high-quality infrastructure projects and build long-term collaborative partnerships with major global clients. Leveraging the company’s technical and operational strengths in industrial facility construction and data center development, Ma added, the firm has captured nearly 40 percent of the total data center construction market in Southeast Asia, cementing Hubei enterprises’ growing footprint in global infrastructure development.

  • Tunisia suspends one of Africa’s oldest rights group as crackdown widens

    Tunisia suspends one of Africa’s oldest rights group as crackdown widens

    TUNIS, Tunisia – Tunisian authorities have ordered a 30-day suspension of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, an organization with deep regional roots as one of the oldest human rights groups across Africa and the Arab world, and a core member of the National Dialogue Quartet that won the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. The move is the latest development that has amplified international alarm over a growing crackdown on independent civil society in the North African nation.

    The league confirmed the suspension in an official statement released late Friday, condemning the order as a blatant, unjustified violation of the fundamental right to freedom of association. The group emphasized the decision constitutes a direct attack on one of the most pivotal democratic achievements Tunisia has secured since its 2011 revolution.

    For months, Tunisian President Kais Saied has framed foreign funding – a common revenue stream for many independent rights organizations – as a direct threat to national sovereignty. He has leaned heavily on this narrative to build populist support, repeatedly labeling political opponents and grassroots activists as foreign agents working to incite domestic unrest.

    In its statement, the league made clear that this suspension cannot be separated from a broader, systemic campaign of pressure targeting civil society and independent voices across Tunisia. The organization announced it would appeal the “unjust” ruling in national courts, and pledged to continue its core work defending victims of human rights abuses without discrimination of any kind.

    This latest order is not an isolated action: it follows a string of identical restrictive measures against independent rights groups over the past year. In 2024, Tunisian courts ordered 30-day activity halts for multiple high-profile non-governmental organizations, including leading groups advocating for migrant rights and gender equality.

    The suspension also coincides with growing repression of independent journalism and political dissent. Just this week, prominent journalist Zied El-Heni was taken into 48-hour police custody over content he posted to Facebook, part of a consistent pattern of arrests and legal pressure targeting critics of Saied’s administration.

    Mohamed Yassine Jlassi, former head of the Tunisian National Union of Journalists (SNJT), spoke to the Associated Press during a protest held in central Tunis Friday. He told reporters that hundreds of Tunisians are currently detained on charges linked solely to freedom of expression, including content shared on social media platforms.

    “Repression now touches every corner of public life,” Jlassi said. “Practicing journalism has been criminalized. Civil society work is treated as a crime. Political opposition has been effectively outlawed. People are increasingly being subjected to arbitrary prosecutions that lack even the most basic guarantees of a fair trial.”

    In another high-profile case targeting independent media, Tunisian investigative outlet Inkyfada is scheduled to appear in court on May 11, as authorities move forward with a legal push to dissolve Al Khatt, the non-profit association that publishes the outlet. Inkyfada’s team has stated publicly that it rejects the legal foundation of the government’s case, noting that the claims cited by authorities have not been reviewed by Tunisian courts at any point since 2024.

    These cumulative developments have deepened longstanding concerns among global and regional human rights advocates about accelerating restrictions on independent media, civil society, and all dissenting speech under Saied’s administration. Since seizing executive control and consolidating power in 2021, Saied has steadily expanded targeted action against groups he accuses of accepting foreign funding to destabilize Tunisia and undermine national interests.

  • Reading helps bridge world, civilizations

    Reading helps bridge world, civilizations

    Long cultivated as a deeply personal passion, reading has evolved into a foundational pillar of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s approach to governance and global diplomacy, serving as a unique bridge connecting Chinese civilization with the wider world and advancing cross-cultural dialogue. As Xi himself has noted, reading is far more than a casual pastime for him—it is an enduring way of life that continues to shape his perspective and policy philosophy.