By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Chief Executive Officer of Mosaique FM, Noureddine Boutar, has been released on bail by the court of appeal in Tunisia, after he was detained by the government for three months on alleged money laundering, an allegation his lawyers said is false.
Mosaique FM announced on Wednesday that its CEO Boutar was freed after the appeal court ordered a bail of one million dinars (about $323,500) with the seizure of his travel documents but the court has not officially spoken on the reason behind its decision.
Boutar was arrested in February over alleged money laundering and illicit enrichment.
One of his lawyers, Ayoub Ghedamsi, said he was imprisoned in connection with his critical stance on government of the day.
The move comes amid a wave of arrests of opponents of the Tunisian president, Kais Saied.
Rights groups have expressed concerns over the growing crackdown on dissenting voices in the north African nation.
Last week, a Tunisian appeals court sentenced a journalist to five years in prison for revealing details of a counterterrorism operation and refusing to reveal his sources, according to his lawyer, prompting outcry from media rights advocates.
It was believed to be the worst sentence against a journalist in Tunisia since the 2011 Arab Spring revolution pushed out a long-serving autocrat and ushered in a new democratic system with more media freedom.
About 20 prominent opposition figures, including journalists, political party leaders, lawyers and female activist activist Chaima Issa are currently detained on a variety of charges.
