Lina Ben Mhenni

Tunisian blogger who documented Arab Spring revolutions through radical digital activism

Lina Ben Mhenni (1983-2020) redefined citizen journalism during Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution. Her blog 'A Tunisian Girl' provided:

• Real-time documentation of government crackdowns
• Forensic analysis of state propaganda
• Blueprints for encrypted communication used across Arab Spring movements

Despite 11 death threats daily and kidney disease, Ben Mhenni:

• Published 2,347 blog posts exposing corruption
• Trained 600+ activists in digital security
• Created Tunisia's first crowdsourced protest map using Ushahidi platform

Her 2011 Nobel Peace Prize nomination marked the first recognition of digital activism in major peace awards. Ben Mhenni's legacy includes Tunisia's Internet Freedom Act (2014) and inspiration for Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement digital strategies.