As the country’s right-wing government takes a hard line on Mediterranean immigration, the hip-hop artist Ghali has become a prominent voice of compassion.
Tunisia has pushed African migrants to scorching no-man’s lands along its borders with little food and water. Under a deal with the European Union, Tunisia agreed to tighten border controls in exchange for aid.
When reflecting on their Arab Spring revolution, Tunisians often say that freedom of expression was the only concrete achievement. As the country slides back toward autocracy, that, too, is being quickly eroded.
The European Union relies heavily on Tunisia to stem migration, giving its increasingly authoritarian president leverage in negotiations with the bloc.