Tunisian President Ben Ali made a speech on July 25 marking the 48th anniversary of the founding of the Tunisian republic.

Here are some quotes from his speech:

"The scope of freedoms in Tunisia today is guaranteed by the country's constitution and laws. It has been elevated to a level matching that of many advanced countries in all fields, including individual and public liberties as well as political action, media activity and the protection and consecration of human rights in all their dimensions and forms."

"We have not restricted the freedom of anybody, nor have we given instructions outside what is prescribed by the law which has sovereignty in all matters. Today, Tunisia guarantees for all Tunisian men and women all these basic and fundamental rights."

"It is indeed a source of great pride for each patriotic Tunisian that our country will be next November the meeting place of all the world's nations, as it will play host to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society. We are working to make sure Tunisia is well prepared to host this great event which we proposed to organize and worked for the success of all its stages."

If only this was the truth.

The Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) says there has been an upsurge in attacks on freedom of expression in Tunisia since it conducted a  fact-finding mission to the country in January. Civil society organisations are routinely harassed, and many books and websites are banned. Human rights activists, independent journalists and others are harassed and jailed for criticising the government.

Dissident lawyer Mohamed Abbou, who is in jail on trumped up charges, has begun a hunger strike to, his words, "draw the attention of the national and international public opinion to the heavy punishment and rancor inflicted in our country on anyone who disagrees with the political regime."

The TMG and other groups, including Reporters Without Borders, are calling for Abbou's immediate release.

In November 2005, Tunisia hosts the World Summit on the Information Society, a UN-sponsored conference that aims to find solutions for bridging the "digital divide" between rich and poor countries and spread the benefits of the Internet to the South. Tunisia is touted by some as a model of development in Africa, but few people are aware that dissent and freedom of expression  are brutally repressed.

This blog seeks to show a different side to Tunisia than what the tourist posters and government ad campaigns would have you believe.

For information on the underside of the Tunisian "success story", start with the website of the Tunisia Monitoring Group.