- Thread starter
- Staff
- #1
Dadparvar
Staff member
- Nov 11, 2016
- 10,369
- 0
- 6
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Tuesday that Tunisian authorities have arrested three prominent activists following a “sham trial.” The organization urges authorities to immediately overturn the “unjust convictions” and release those detained.
Bassam Khawaja, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at HRW, highlighted the political significance of the detentions by saying:
These arrests follow what HRW has deemed the politically motivated “Conspiracy Case”. Here the Tunis Court of First Instance issued sentences after three sessions, without an opportunity for the defendants to present defences and without other due process protections. The initial decision sentenced 37 people to prison terms for “conspiracy against state security” and terrorism offences under Tunisia’s Penal Code and a 2015 Counterterrorism Law. Amnesty International in the past expressed similar criticisms.
HRW published an investigative report in April 2025 that arbitrary arrests and detentions of people deemed critical of the Tunisian government have increased since early 2023. Their investigation found that detainees are often held in “harsh” conditions and that authorities have “failed to provide adequate medical care.” Detainees have also been subject to 24-hour surveillance and artificial light.
President Saied was re-elected in October 2024, after a first term characterized by an overhaul of the country’s institutions to “give him more authority.” He pledged to cleanse the country of corruption and to defend against foreign and domestic threats. President Saied has emphasized the importance of the detentions and condemned a European Parliament resolution calling for the release of detainees as “blatant interference” in Tunisian affairs. He maintains that others “can learn lessons from us [Tunisia] on rights and freedoms.”
HRW will closely watch the ongoing detention of the activists with concern over Tunisia’s international legal obligations. Tunisia is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Both agreements guarantee the right to freedom of expression and assembly, fair trials, and not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.
The post Rights organization urges Tunisia authorities to release detained activists appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.
Bassam Khawaja, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at HRW, highlighted the political significance of the detentions by saying:
Those arrested are Chaima Issa, a political activist, Ayachi Hammami, a human rights lawyer, and Ahmed Neijib Chebbi, a prominent political opponent. Issa is a member of the National Salvation Front, which is the main opposition coalition to President Saied, as well as a cofounder of the Citizens Against the Coup collective. Hammami was initially a defence lawyer in this case but was later charged as a defendant. Chebbi is also a lawyer who cofounded the National Salvation Front.
These arrests follow what HRW has deemed the politically motivated “Conspiracy Case”. Here the Tunis Court of First Instance issued sentences after three sessions, without an opportunity for the defendants to present defences and without other due process protections. The initial decision sentenced 37 people to prison terms for “conspiracy against state security” and terrorism offences under Tunisia’s Penal Code and a 2015 Counterterrorism Law. Amnesty International in the past expressed similar criticisms.
HRW published an investigative report in April 2025 that arbitrary arrests and detentions of people deemed critical of the Tunisian government have increased since early 2023. Their investigation found that detainees are often held in “harsh” conditions and that authorities have “failed to provide adequate medical care.” Detainees have also been subject to 24-hour surveillance and artificial light.
President Saied was re-elected in October 2024, after a first term characterized by an overhaul of the country’s institutions to “give him more authority.” He pledged to cleanse the country of corruption and to defend against foreign and domestic threats. President Saied has emphasized the importance of the detentions and condemned a European Parliament resolution calling for the release of detainees as “blatant interference” in Tunisian affairs. He maintains that others “can learn lessons from us [Tunisia] on rights and freedoms.”
HRW will closely watch the ongoing detention of the activists with concern over Tunisia’s international legal obligations. Tunisia is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Both agreements guarantee the right to freedom of expression and assembly, fair trials, and not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.
The post Rights organization urges Tunisia authorities to release detained activists appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.