The human rights group, Amnesty International, has called on Tunisia to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience, especially the journalist and prominent government opponent, Sihem Ben Sedrine.

She was arrested earlier this week on charges of attacking the authority of the judiciary and spreading false information intended to disrupt public order.

Sihem Ben Sedrine who's also a spokesperson for the National Council for Freedom in Tunisia is due in court next month.

Several dozen activists have been occupying the Tunisian tourist office in Paris, demanding her release. The official Tunisian news agency described the occupation as a crime.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service