The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) condemned today the arrest of the Tunisian rapper Anis Al-Marabty (27 years) known as “Volcanis” for singing a song entitled “Shy Matbadel” [Nothing has Changed]
Anis was arrested at his home in the Tunisian capital last Wednesday Feb. 1 by six plain- clothed policemen, who also confiscated his computer after asking him if he is the author of “Nothing has changed”, then took him away to an unknown place till his family founded him after 24 hours at a security unit at Shousha, facing charged of using drugs!!
In the same time the Ministry of Interior has annulled in its statement posted on its page on the social networking website “Face Book” that Anis was arrested for a song, but for using and dealing in drugs, along with other 10 accused persons, including two girls.
Anis’s song labels most of the political parties as militias, sees Al-Nahda party’s winning of the elections and Monsef Al-Marzouqy taking reign as a repetition of the scenario of Ben Aly’s regime, with all its despotism and freedoms restriction. The song also talks about unemployment, the increasing number of the sit-ins and the raising of prices.
This is the first time after the Tunisian revolution to arrest a rapper, for the famous rapper known as the General was the last to be arrested under Ben Aly’s rule for his anti- regime songs.
ANHRI said “arresting a rapper for an anti- regime song is a defective attitude incompatible with freedom of expression in the country where the Arab spring inaugurated” adding “the Tunisian authorities should release the rapper or submit real and not fabricated evidence to prove he is involved criminally, given that Ben Aly’s regime had been using fabricated criminal charges to gag journalists and dissidents
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