Tunisia

Tunisia: Arbitrary detention and interrogation of human rights defenders Sihem Bensedrine and Omar Mestiri

On 18 June 2008, Sihem Bensedrine and Omar Mestiri were stopped at the Tunisian-Algerian border while on their way to an event in Algeria to promote freedom of expression in the region. They were interrogated for approximately two and a half hours before being released. No reasons were given for their interrogation. Omar Mestiri is the chief editor of the online newspaper Kalima and Sihem Bensedrine is the founder and spokesperson of the Conseil national pour les libertés en Tunisie (CNLT) (National Council for Civil Liberties in Tunisia) and the Secretary-General for the Observatoire pour la Liberté de presse, d'édition et de création en Tunisie (OLPEC) (Observatory for the Freedom of the Press, Publication, and the Arts in Tunisia). On 7 February 2008, Sihem Bensedrine was awarded the 2008 Peace Prize by the Danish Peace Foundation.

Tunisia

Tunisia: Ill-treatment of human rights defender Slim Boukhdir while in detention

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the ill-treatment of human rights defender Slim Boukhdir while in detention. Slim Boukhdir was arrested on 26 November 2007 and on 18 January 2008 he was sentenced to one year's imprisonment. He is currently detained in Sfax prison, 230 kilometres south of Tunis. Slim Boukhdir is a correspondent with the London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi and the website of the satellite news channel Al-Arabiya. He also writes for other news websites, including Tunisnews and Kantara.

Tunisia

Tunisia: Attack against human rights defender Radhia Nasraoui

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of an attack against human rights defender Radhia Nasraoui by approximately thirty police officers on 18 April 2008. Radhia Nasraoui is a human rights lawyer and works to defend the victims of human rights violations. She is also the President of the Association de lutte contre la torture en Tunisie (Association against torture in Tunisia).

Tunisia

Tunisia: Arbitrary detention and assault of human rights defenders Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine

On 3 March 2008 at 8.15am, Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine were returning to Tunis from a trip to Europe when they were subjected to a full-body search on their arrival at the port of La Goulette. Members of the Tunisian Political Police requested that they follow them to the customs office, on the pretext of fulfilling an administrative formality. Once inside the office, the policemen reportedly locked the door and Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine were detained for six hours, during which time they were subject to beatings while their clothes were damaged and their bags torn open. The policemen reportedly confiscated their mobile phones and their bank cards. Several original documents were taken and the policemen also made copies of the hard discs of their lap-top computers. Sihem Bensedrine is currently suffering from a sprained wrist and an injury to her elbow as a result of the assault.

Tunisia

Tunisia: Assault on Ali Ben Salem

Front Line is deeply concerned by the assault, on 20 December 2007, of 75 year-old human rights defender Ali Ben Salem. Ali Ben Salem is a founding member of several human rights organisations in Tunisia, including the National Human Rights Council (Conseil National pour les Libertés en Tunisie, CNLT) and the National Association of Former Members of the Resistance (Amicale Nationale des Anciens Résistants, ANAR). He is also President of the Bizerte chapter of the Tunisian League for Human Rights (Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l'Homme, LTDH). Front Line had planned to meet with Ali Ben Salem in May 2007 in Tunisia but Ben Salem was prevented by the authorities from travelling to Tunis to do so.

Tunisia

Tunisia: Attack on human rights defender Abdul Raouf Ayadi

Front Line is concerned for the physical integrity of Abdul Raouf Ayadi, after he was attacked by members of the Tunisian security police on 1 November 2007. Members of the security police prevented Abdul Raouf Ayadi from visiting the lawyer Mohamed Ennouri, who is currently on hunger strike. They physically restrained and pushed Abdul Raouf Ayadi to the ground, they then proceeded to verbally insult him and said that he was a traitor as he was ‘sold to the United States’. They then announced to the crowd of onlookers that Abdul Raouf Ayadi was a thief.

Tunisia

Tunisia: Freedom of movement restrictions placed on human rights defender Mohamed Abbou

Front Line is concerned with regard to a de facto travel ban placed on the human rights defender Mohamed Abbou. Mohamed Abbou has attempted to travel outside Tunisia on two separate occasions and has been prevented by the Tunisian authorities both times.

Tunisia

Tunisia: Record on human rights defenders remains “very poor”, reveals a Front Line and Human Rights First mission report

Tunisia

While Tunisia is commemorating this year the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the republican system and the 20th anniversary of the accession of President Ben Ali to power, its record with respect to the treatment of human rights activists remains “very poor”, reveals a mission report, released on 27 September in Brussels by Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, on the occasion of the visit of Ms Sihem Bensedrine, Tunisian human rights defender and journalist, who is an emblematic figure of the fight for freedom and human rights in Tunisia. She is also a founding member and the spokeswoman of the National Council for Liberties in Tunisia (Conseil National pour les Libertés en Tunisie, CNLT).

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Tunisia: Arson attack on the office of human rights lawyer Ayachi Hammami

Front Line is deeply concerned by reports that the office of human rights lawyer, Ayachi Hammami, was subject to an arson attack on 31 August 2007. Ayachi Hammami is the Secretary General of the Tunis section Ligue tunisienne pour la défense des droits de l’homme (Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights - LTDH). He is also an executive member of the Collectif 18 octobre pour les droits et les libertés (18 October Collective for Rights and Liberties).

Tunisia

Tunisia: Judicial procedure and defamation campaign against Raouf Ayadi lawyer and human rights defender

Front Line is concerned about the judicial proceedings that have been initiated against the human rights defender and lawyer Abdul Raouf Ayadi. Abdul Raouf Ayadi is a former member of the Council of the Order of Lawyers and former Secretary General of the National Council for Liberty in Tunisia (CNLT).

Tunisia

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