"It is outrageous for a country which claims to be in the forefront of modernity in the region to carry out this kind of violent misuse of authority against Tunisian journalists and human rights activists in their own country," the worldwide press freedom organisation said.

"We call on the Tunisian authorities to fully investigate these police excesses", the organisation added, pointing out that Tunisia is ranked 145 out of 169 countries in Reporters Without Borders's worldwide press freedom index.

Sihem Bensedrine, who was left with bruises to her body, told Reporters Without Borders that said she had her husband would be making a complaint against the customs for "brutality" and "false imprisonment". She said police had seized around 60 documents by copying them from their hard discs. The customs had also refused to give the two journalists a docket for their confiscated property as the law requires.

Bensedrine, whose organisation is a partner of Reporters Without Borders, was on 7 February awarded the 2008 peace prize by the Danish Peace Foundation.