Tunisia Human Rights
Human Rights Concerns
Overcrowding in prisons and discriminatory treatment of political prisoners continued to be reported. There was continuing concern about lack of medical care, poor hygiene, torture and ill treatment in prisons.
At least 15 people were charged under the new "anti-terrorism" law introduced in December 2003. Concerns persisted about the law, which allows for the extension of pre-trial detention for an undefined period and lacks safeguards in relation to people facing extradition to countries where they could face serious human rights violations.
The authorities gave no reason for withholding recognition from several human rights organizations that had been asking to be legalized for several years. Among these organizations are the International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners, the Association to Combat Torture in Tunisia and the National Council for Liberties. Members of such non-governmental organizations reported harassment and intimidation by the police.
Restrictions on freedom of expression, including access to information, and on exercise of the rights to freedom of association and assembly are not the only human rights issues in Tunisia that are of concern to Amnesty International. As the organization has documented in a succession of annual reports, it remains concerned too about long-standing abuse of detention powers, particularly by the security forces, by holding suspects incommunicado and without legal counsel beyond the limits allowed by law, and reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees. In addition, many prisoners, particularly real or suspected members of Tunisia's domestic Islamist movement, have been sentenced to heavy prison terms after grossly unfair trials. A number of them went repeatedly on hunger strikes to protest against their sentences and the continuing ill-treatment that they face in prison.
Latest News
Tunisia: Tunisia Releases Prisoners Held Over Gafsa ProtestsNovember 06, 2009
Tunisia: Student Activist Held in Tunisia at Risk of Torture
November 03, 2009
Tunisia: Assaults and Arrests of Three Journalists in Tunisia are Part of Pattern of Threats and Intimidation of Government Critics, Says Amnesty International
October 30, 2009
Tunisia:New Amnesty International Report Exposes Abuses in Tunisia
August 20, 2009
Tunisia:Tunisian national released on bail after forcible return from Italy
August 13, 2009
Tunisia: Tunisian national at risk after forcible return from Italy
August 05, 2009
Latest Reports
Tunisia: Behind Tunisia's 'Economic Miracle': Inequality and criminalization of protestJune 17, 2009
Tunisia: In the Name of Security: Routine Abuses in Tunisia
June 23, 2008
Tunisia: Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review. First Session of the UPR Working Group, 7-11 April 2008
November 30, 2007
Vital UN human rights work under threat
May 09, 2007
