About the Speaker
Lina
Ben Mhenni
Tunisian blogger and activist
Lina Ben Mhenni was an activist and the author of the popular blog, “A Tunisian Girl.” Based in Tunis, she reported from all over the country during the 2010–2011 revolution, documenting instances of police brutality against protesters while Tunisia’s Ben Ali regime sought to impose a media blackout. She risked her safety as one of the only Tunisians to openly criticize the repressive government on international broadcasts before the Jasmine Revolution began. She was often described as one of the bravest bloggers in the world. Much of Ben Mhenni’s writing focused on freedom of expression and the rights of women and students. She authored two books published in several languages: “Get Connected” and “Tunisian Girl: Blogger for an Arab Spring.” In 2011, she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and received “Best Blog” in Deutsche Welle’s BOB Awards. In 2013, Ben Mhenni spoke at the World Justice Project’s fourth World Justice Forum. She died in 2020.