| EMHRN - Home > NEWS > EMHRN Releases > EMHRN Statements 2001 |
|
| EMHRN Concern about the Human Rights Situation in Tunisia | Date: 11-10-2001 |
|
EMHRN concern about the human rights situation in Tunisia The Executive Committee of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, meeting in Madrid on the 29th and 30th September, once again wishes to express its serious concern about the general situation regarding fundamental freedoms in Tunisia. The Network is naturally very interested in the fact that, following on from the release of Sihem Ben Sedrine, spokesperson for the CNLT (National Council for Liberties in Tunisia) on the 11th August, the Court of Appeal in Tunis recently reduced the year-long prison sentence handed down to Moncef Marzouki, the former president of the LDTH (Tunisian League of Human Rights) and CNLT for crimes of opinion - and this in the absence of any appeal by Mr. Marzouki and despite the fact that the appeal was handled in an ad hoc fashion by the public prosecutor’s office. However, these measures, which have been taken in favour of the large solidarity movement, do not seem to reflect any real political desire to open up on the part of the Tunisian State. Moreover, Moncef Marzouki remains deprived of the ability to work since being improperly dismissed from his university teaching post in the faculty of medicine in Sousse. He is still being arbitrarily prevented from leaving the country, hindering his participation both in scientific conferences and the activities of the EMHRN, of which he is an individual member. Sihem Bensedrine and numerous human rights defenders are still subject to measures of harassment and intimidation, whilst hundreds of political opponents continue to serve very heavy prison sentences under inhuman conditions. Mohamed Mouaâda, president of the MDS, is still serving a sentence of more than 8 years since being arrested and detained on the decision of the Ministry of the Interior on 19/06/2001; putting an end to his release on parole, this decision was manifestly motivated by the criticisms formulated by Mr. Mouaâda through the television station « Al Moustakilla ». Khemaïs Ksila, general secretary of the LTDH, is currently suffering at the hands of the police machinery, in league with the press, whose object is to cause harm to the league of human rights. Particularly significant is the fact that members of an Amnesty International delegation, whilst on a normal mission favourably agreed to by the public authorities, recently become victims of police aggression. The Network wishes to renew its solidarity with all the victims of human rights violations in Tunisia. We are launching a new appeal to the Tunisian government and ask that it respect its commitments relating to the international community by virtue of the fact it has ratified the pacts and conventions relating to human rights, as well as commitments stemming from the Barcelona Declaration and the association agreement with the European Union. The Network considers that the continued failure of the clauses of this agreement - which the Tunisian government is well aware of - constitutes one of the principal challenges for the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. |
|
| Back to News List |
