Press release
Geneva – June 6, 2024
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has expressed deep concern over the ongoing crackdown by Tunisian authorities on political dissidents, journalists, lawyers, and human rights defenders in the country.
In a statement published on its website, the Commission highlighted its close monitoring of the overall human rights situation in Tunisia, with a particular focus on the rights to freedom of expression and access to information, as well as the conditions faced by migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
The Commission emphasized that these repressive actions hinder individuals’ full enjoyment of their right to freedom of expression and access to information, rights guaranteed by Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter), the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa (2019), and other international and regional human rights instruments to which Tunisia is a party.
Additionally, the Commission voiced its concerns over the increasing arrests and arbitrary use of prolonged preventive detention against certain dissidents, journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists. It noted that these practices undermine the rights of the accused to a fair trial, including the presumption of innocence, as enshrined in Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter.
The Commission also observed with regret the resurgence of xenophobic rhetoric, particularly against migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. It reminded that these migrants, based on the principle of non-discrimination enshrined in Article 2 of the African Charter, have the right to respect for their inherent human dignity (Article 5). Regardless of their origin or migrant status, they are entitled to protection of their fundamental rights as guaranteed by the African Charter and other relevant international and regional instruments to which Tunisia is a signatory, including the “African Guidelines on the Rights of All Migrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers” adopted by the ACHPR in 2023.
In conclusion, the Commission urged Tunisian authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the respect and protection of human rights, to end the ongoing violations, and to guarantee a safe environment for migrants and all individuals, regardless of their opinions or origins.
