Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the ongoing harassment of human rights defender Ms Radhia Nasraoui. Radhia Nasraoui is a human rights lawyer and chairperson of the Association de lutte contre la torture en Tunisie, ALTT (Association against torture in Tunisia).

Further Information

On 21 May 2009, individuals believed to belong to the political police violently prevented Radhia Nasraoui from speaking with her client, Mr Ammar Amroussia, at the entrance to the town of Gafsa.

When they met at the entrance to the town, Ammar Amroussia was blocked on the street by police, prohibiting him from getting into Radhia Nasraoui's car. The latter got out of her car to speak to her client on the street, explaining to police that she was his lawyer, but the police pushed him away from her. Ammar Amroussia had asked Radhia Nasraoui to represent him in his case against police agents who had attacked him on 15 and 16 May 2009.

Two days earlier, on 19 May 2009, on returning from Paris where she delivered a presentation on the human rights situation in Tunisia, in particular in the mining region, Radhia Nasraoui was met at Tunis Carthage airport by a group of plain clothed security officials. After searching her suitcase and briefcase, she was brought by force to a small office where a female customs officer informed her that she was going to carry out a body search, which Radhia Nasraoui refused. One of the group insulted her and she was finally escorted out of the airport.

On the night of 24 April 2009, while the human rights lawyer was attending a conference for human rights defenders in Kampala, Uganda, and her husband was in Madrid, the police broke into her house. They were taken by surprise by the unexpected presence of a family friend and quickly fled the scene, taking the keys of her house, car and office building.

These are only the most recent instances of harassment of Radhia Nasraoui. It is also reported that her office is under constant surveillance and her clients are being pressured to not request her services. The several complaints filed for previous instances of attacks and intrusion into her residence and office have not been investigated by the police.

Front Line believes that the sustained harassment of Radhia Nasraoui is directly related to her work in defence of human rights.

Front Line issued a previous appeal concerning an attack on Radhia Nasraoui, on 22 April 2008. Previous Appeal on behalf of Radhia Nasraoui