The International Federation of Journalists plans to further investigate events surrounding a controversial meeting at the weekend when a pro-government leadership was installed at the head of the union of journalists in Tunisia.

"The shadow of political influence in this affair is unmistakeable," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. "The meeting was held in a venue donated by the government, the newly-elected President is a well-known member of the ruling party and a message was sent from the meeting praising the government of President Ben Ali - and all of this just weeks before a Presidential election."

The IFJ has been working behind the scenes to repair a rift in the Syndicat National des Journalistes Tunisiens (SNJT) which broke out earlier this year. Union leaders were attacked for publishing a press freedom report critical of the working conditions of journalists and press freedom in the country.

The resignation of a number of board members meant an extraordinary national meeting to re-elect new leaders had to be called, but IFJ-inspired efforts to find an agreed date for this meeting failed. Saturday's meeting was called by opponents of the union's leaders elected last year and only went ahead after a court case challenging its legality failed.

The IFJ officially declined an invitation to attend the meeting.

"The IFJ has not endorsed this process," said White. "Our Executive Committee has insisted on remaining neutral in this dispute and it will look long and hard at events over the weekend before reaching its verdict. There is still some way to go to unify the journalists' movement in Tunisia."

A second meeting, called by the leadership of the SNJT is due to be held on September 12.

In 2004 the IFJ suspended the Tunisian Association of Journalists from membership after its leaders awarded a press freedom prize to President Ben Ali. To be a member of the IFJ unions and associations of journalists have to politically independent of governments and political parties.

For more information contact the IFJ at +32 2 235 2207
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 123 countries worldwide