Tunisia

There continues to be a pattern of harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders (HRD) that clearly aims to dissuade them from carrying out their advocacy efforts. Human rights defenders and their families are subject to all forms of harassment ranging from intrusive surveillance to physical assault, slander campaigns and restrictions on their freedom of movement. Basic rights that allow human rights defenders to freely and safely perform their activities are systematically violated. Human rights defenders' freedoms of expression, of association and of assembly are severely curtailed.

Many defenders have been subjected to international travel bans. Either they have been prevented at the airport from boarding the plane or the authorities have confiscated or refused to renew their passports. In addition, many HRDs reported that the police confiscated items from their luggage such as books and documents when they return from travelling abroad.

Human rights defenders' denunciation of human rights violations in public statements and on the Internet has been met with retaliation measures by the government. Numerous human rights activists have been prosecuted for publicly exposing human rights abuses. Access to independent websites and blogs that cover the human rights situation in Tunisia has been blocked by the authorities. Charges of “spreading false information likely to undermine the public order” are often brought against the authors of such articles.

The Tunisian authorities block human rights lawyers from meeting their clients. Human rights lawyers are frequently attacked and physically assaulted, and at times the authorities started to contact their clients and dissuade them from working asking their services. The offices of organisations that provide legal aid to political prisoners and victims of torture are regularly surrounded by police officers who control the identity of the clients coming in and often prevent them from entering.

Independent human rights organisations are denied legal recognition. This results in a large number of independent human rights organizations operating without official recognition and exposes defenders to criminal sanctions. Even the few human rights groups that are allowed to register face judicial harassment and administrative interference.

Human rights NGOs are routinely forbidden from holding meetings and public events. Their offices are routinely under 24-hour surveillance, and in many cases security officers check ID cards of people who are coming in and often prevent them from entering. Many HRDs reported that their offices have been broken into, and items such as computers taken or damaged. Foreign funding is systematically blocked under anti-terrorist legislation.

HRDs and members of their families are also under almost permanent surveillance by security agents. HRDs' telephone communications are tapped and their emails are blocked or intercepted. Many of them have had their telephone and Internet connections merely interrupted.

The persistent harassment faced by HRDs has placed them under intense emotional stress that has affected their family and professional life and for some of them has caused health problems.