صحافة بلادي صحيفة إلكترونية مغاربية متجددة على مدار الساعة تعنى بشؤون المغرب الجزائر ليبيا موريتانيا تونس
Tunisia –The United Nations called on the Tunisian authorities to stop what it described as “increasing repression” targeting civil society organizations, journalists, human rights defenders and opponents, amid mounting international criticism of the human rights situation in the country.
Volker Türk said, in an official statement issued Thursday, that “the continued repression and restrictions imposed on civic space in Tunisia seriously undermine the rights guaranteed under the Tunisian Constitution and international human rights obligations.”
These statements come days after the Tunisian authorities decided to suspend the activity of the local branch of the “Lawyers Without Borders” organization for a month, following a similar measure targeting the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights indicated that the Tunisian authorities rely, in a number of cases, on justifications related to funding and financial auditing in order to suspend or restrict the activities of civil society organizations.
The UN Commissioner stressed that there is an “increasing trend” towards using judicial sanctions to restrict freedom of association, considering that these measures do not adequately take into account the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality adopted in international law.
The UN statement also expressed concern about what it described as increasing restrictions imposed on the media and journalists in Tunisia, especially after the arrest of Tunisian journalist Ziad El Hani late last month, after he criticized judicial rulings related to media files.
According to the Human Rights Commission, Al-Hani is still detained pending the case, while during the past year 28 other journalists were arrested and some of them were issued prison sentences against the backdrop of their professional activities.
The Commission added that a number of these judicial prosecutions were based on a presidential decree issued in 2022 related to combating crimes related to information and communication systems.
Volker Türk called on the Tunisian authorities to “immediately and unconditionally release” all persons detained for expressing their opinions guaranteed under international law, while lifting the restrictions he described as “arbitrary” imposed on freedom of expression and association.
The UN official stressed that maintaining the rule of law in Tunisia requires strengthening institutional guarantees, protecting civic space, and adopting legislative reforms that respect the country’s international obligations in the field of human rights.
These developments come in light of the continuing controversy inside and outside Tunisia regarding the status of public freedoms and human rights, at a time when the Tunisian authorities affirm their commitment to implementing the law and maintaining the stability of state institutions.
