The Criminal Chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance closed, on Thursday, the examination of formal requests filed by the defense of journalists Mourad Zeghidi and Borhene Bsaies, prosecuted in a tax evasion case.
The lawyers requested several measures, including their release to regularize their tax situation. The court decided to put the case under advisement, reports Mosaique fm.
Application for provisional release
At the end of a hearing devoted to preliminary requests, the Criminal Chamber reviewed all of the requests made by the defense committee. Among these points is the appointment of a reporting judge, intended to verify the nature and origin of the property and assets of the two defendants.
The defense also renewed its request for provisional release, considering that the presence of the two journalists in detention prevents the completion of the necessary steps for tax conciliation with the tax administration. According to the lawyers, this step is essential to resolve the dispute.
At the end of this review, the court formalized its decision to put the case under advisement, leaving it to the magistrates to assess the admissibility of the requests and to adopt a position on release.
A case of tax evasion, according to the defense
For the members of the defense committee, the file concerns exclusively a tax dispute. They assure that the alleged facts fall under financial regularization mechanisms and that a negotiated outcome is possible if their clients can finalize the administrative procedures.
Arrested on May 11, 2024, the two journalists are being prosecuted in connection with a case combining accusations of money laundering and application of Decree-Law No. 54, a controversial text governing offenses linked to information and communication systems.
At the time of their arrest, Mohamed Zitouna, spokesperson for the Tunis court of first instance, declared that information considered serious had led the prosecution to open an investigation into alleged financial offenses, in particular for illicit enrichment through media activities considered suspicious.
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