Human Rights First Extends Solidarity to the Tunisian Legal and Human Rights Community
Today, a day of international solidarity with the Tunisian human rights
and legal community, the Human Rights First expresses its support and concern for all those in Tunisia
who work to promote human rights. In recent weeks, the human rights
community in Tunisia has come under renewed attack by police and other
state agents, who have thwarted the legitimate activities of judges
and lawyers carrying out the duties of their profession, and have
violently attacked and intimidated these individuals and members of
their families. We call upon the government to protect human rights
defenders, including those from the legal and judicial community,
investigate the threats and attacks carried out against them, and
prosecute the perpetrators of these attacks.
In December 2002, several lawyers were harassed and beaten within
the space of a few days. These attacks are clearly connected to
the professional affiliation many of these lawyers have with the
founding of a new human rights organization as well as with prominent
judge and human rights advocate Mukhtar Yahyaoui, himself brutalized
by members of the security forces on December 11. The first of the
lawyers attacked was counsel to Judge Yahyaoui, Nourredine Bhiri.
His wife, Saida Akremi, and their son were also assaulted outside
of their law offices. In the days that followed, several other lawyers
faced similar treatment as they approached the law offices to learn
what was happening and lend their support to the victims. Two other
lawyers, Samir Ben Amor and Samir Dilou, were arrested.
Security forces had assembled outside the law offices, blocking
lawyers from entering. When the President of the Bar Association,
Bechir Essid, contacted the Interior Ministry to register a formal
complaint about the attacks and the denial of access, he was treated
dismissively, even blamed for the attacks by Ministry officials.
The concerted effort to prevent the lawyers from carrying out their
work appears related to the creation of a new NGO formed to provide
legal and political support to Tunisian political prisoners. The
Tunisian authorities consider the newly formed International Association
for the Support of Political Prisoners (AISSP) an illegal organization.
Government officials have refused to even receive the request for
authorization submitted by lawyers representing the new organization,
in violation of Tunisia’s own law of associations.
Human Rights First believes that Judge
Yahyaoui and his legal colleagues are being targeted for their
work to promote human rights. These attacks occur in an atmosphere
of continued restriction on their activities and include intimidation,
raids on law offices, imprisonment, travel restrictions, telephone
wiretapping and intrusive personal surveillance. The Tunisian government
should respect and provide for the protection of human rights defenders,
in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders of 1998. In addition, the United Nations Basic Principles
on the Role of Lawyers oblige governments to "ensure that lawyers
are able to perform all of their professional functions without
intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference."
Human Rights First continues to follow the situation for human
rights defenders in Tunisia with concern and extends its support
to the Tunisian human rights community at this difficult time.
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