Country: Tunisia

Efforts taken by the state after the Tunisian revolution to strengthen human rights protection have been tainted with violations to fundamental guarantees and fair trial rights, especially committed in the framework of counter-terrorism and national security cases. The counter-terrorism law currently in force defines terrorism broadly and establishes a legal regime which severely restricts fundamental legal safeguards for persons held in custody.

In the wake of a series of deadly attacks in 2015, the executive has regularly prolonged the state of emergency, granting the Ministry of Interior exceptional powers, such as carrying out home arrests and imposing curfews. The maintenance of public order has also been used as justification to restrict the freedoms of assembly, association and expression.

In the field of transitional justice, a commission was established to investigate the serious human rights violations committed between 1955 and 2013. As the commission’s mandate has not been extended, and given the low number of cases referred to specialised courts, many victims and families now fear that impunity for past crimes will prevail. Alongside the lack of security sector vetting and reform and the interference of the executive in the judiciary, the situation does not allow for effective measures to avoid the repetition of past practices of human rights violations.

State of emergency draft bill in Tunisia still not in line with international standards

Article 19 Middle East & North Africa and MENA Rights Group request intervention of UN Special Rapporteur to ensure draft bill governing state of emergency in Tunisia is in line with international standards.

Mohamed Guefassa remains missing since 2016 arrest by Tunisian coastguard

Mohamed Guefassa, a 23-year-old Algerian from the region of Wilaya d’El Tarf, was arrested while trying to reach Sardinia by boat on October 2, 2016. He and 15 other individuals were intercepted in Tunisian territorial waters after having left Algeria. Tunisian fishermen who witnessed the arrest informed Guefassa’s brother about what had happened, saying […]

Tunisie : un projet de réforme de l’état d’urgence aux accents d’ancien régime

Une commission parlementaire examine actuellement un projet de loi pour réformer l’état d’urgence en vigueur depuis novembre 2015. Dans sa version actuelle, le texte risque de pérenniser un régime juridique d’exception attentatoire aux libertés fondamentales chèrement acquises pendant la révolution

Adoption of state of emergency draft bill in Tunisia would undermine fundamental human rights

MENA Rights Group has requested the intervention of the UN Special Rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism to ensure draft bill is in line with international standards.

Lettre ouverte « Pour une réforme de la législation relative à l’état d’urgence en Tunisie respectueuse des droits humains » envoyée aux député-e-s de l’Assemblée des représentants du peuple

Le 5 avril 2019 Aux Membres de l’Assemblée des représentants du peuple Objet: Pour une réforme de la législation relative à l’état d’urgence en Tunisie respectueuse des droits humains Nous, soussigné-e-s, membres de la société civile, vous écrivons pour exprimer notre profonde préoccupation quant au projet de loi organique n° 91-2018, portant organisation de l’état d’urgence, […]

CTLaw_AR

Tunisia

Constitution [ AR / FR ] Criminal Procedure Code [ AR / FR ] Criminal Code [ FR ] Code of Military Justice [ AR /FR ] Law on the Organisation of the Judiciary, the High Judicial Council and the Statute for Judges [ AR / FR ] Organic Law on the Establishment and Organisation […]