Tunisia Rules Out Release of Detained Comedian, TV Host Migalo

Tunis:

The Tunisian prosecution on Monday refused to release a popular comedian and a television host detained for allegedly offending the president, a spokesman said.

Sofiene Sliti said the court turned down a request by the lawyers of satirist Migalo, whose real name is Wassim Lahrisi, and television host Moez Ben Gharbia for their release.

The pair were arrested on Friday, along with an assistant, and detained pending a court hearing on March 25 for having "committed an offence against the head of state".

Ben Gharbia is accused of having asked Migalo to use his impersonation skills to imitate the president during a telephone conversation with a prominent businessman.

Their lawyer, Fethi Mouldi, said his clients were "journalists who were investigating a corruption" case, and argued in vain with the court to release Ben Gharbia, Migalo and their unnamed assistant.

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He also expected the trio to be acquitted of any wrongdoing, saying "there is no plaintiff, no victim and not one penny has been given or taken".

Mouldi also said President Beji Caid Essebsi had nothing to do with the case. "He is not a victim nor a plaintiff," he said.

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On Friday Essebsi's office had promptly denied involvement in the case, saying "freedom of the press and expression are acquisitions the president... is committed to defending, he being its principal guarantor."

Essebsi, 88, won Tunisia's first free presidential election in December, capping off the transition to democracy in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.

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As part of that transition, Tunisia adopted a new constitution last year that guarantees the right to freedom of conscience and expression.

An offence against the president is punishable by three years in prison, misrepresentation of identities by two years and fraud by five years.