| EMHRN - Home > NEWS > EMHRN Releases > EMHRN Statements 2003 |
|
| Disproportionate sentence against Tunisian human rights defender | Date: 24-11-2003 |
|
Disproportionate sentence against Tunisian human rights defender – Oum Zied sentenced to eight months in prison on suspension. An EMHRN observer witnessed 18 November the trial against Tunisian journalist and human rights defender Neziha Rejiba - commonly known as Oum Zied. Oum Zied was convicted and sentenced to eight months in prison on suspension for illegal possession of foreign currency (170 Euros) pursuant to articles 6, 22, 35, 36 and 37 of the Tunisian Penal Code. THE EMHRN believes that the trial against the defendant, Om Zeid, is yet another attempt to curb freedom of expression in Tunisia. Oum Zied was flagged down by a police officer outside her house the day after her return from France, the officer found 170 Euros in her wallet and she was subsequently charged with the illegal possession of foreign currency. According to the trial defence, the abovementioned sentence is disproportioned compared to the small amount of foreign currency possessed by Oum Zied. Furthermore EMHRN believes that the Tunisian authorities deliberately targeted Oum Zied for possession of foreign currency in order to restrain her from her Human Rights activities. This is the most recent incident of the Tunisian authorities’ harassment of Oum Zied and her husband. Oum Zied plays a leading part on the editorial board of the unauthorized Tunisian human rights publication “Kalima”. Oum Zied is known to the authorities as an activist as is her husband, who is a practicing lawyer and an opposition member of the Chamber of Deputies. Their phone is permanently tapped and often cut-off mid-conversation by the authorities; the same applies to their email communications. EMHRN also points to the fact that Tunisia in the recent years has witnessed a deterioration of human rights, especially in the field of freedom of expression and association. Only recently a young Tunisian economist, Zouhair Yahyaoui, has been released after 17 months of prison (his sentence was reduced from two years and four months) for launching the alternative website “Tunezine”. The EMHRN calls upon Tunisia to respect its human rights commitments according to international standards and as expressed in the Barcelona Declaration to which Tunisia is a part as well as article 2 of the EU-Tunisia Association Agreement. For further information please contact: Marc Schade-Poulsen, Executive Director / Marit Floe Joergensen, Information Officer Euro Mediterranean Human Rights Network, Strandgade 56 , DK-1401 Copenhagen K, Denmark Tel: +45-32 69 89 12 / Fax: +45-32 69 89 01 E-mail: info@euromedrights.net |
|
| Back to News List |
