The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has voiced concern over the deepening crackdown in Tunisia against perceived political opponents, his Office, OHCHR, said Tuesday.
“Türk expressed his concern over the deepening crackdown against perceived political opponents and civil society in Tunisia, including through measures taken by the authorities that continue to undermine the independence of the judiciary,” OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said.
He said that since Saturday, at least nine people have been reportedly arrested and some detained on security and graft charges.
Last week, the Tunisian security apparatuses arrested activists, former lawyers and a prominent businessman.
The arrests included former justice minister Noureddine Bhiri, a senior figure in Ennahdha party, and Mosaique FM director Noureddine Boutar.
According to Laurence, the UN Human Rights Office has observed that the General Prosecutor has increasingly initiated criminal proceedings against perceived opponents, charging them with “conspiracy against state security”, causing offense to the Head of State or violating the decree-law to fight Cybercrime.
“We are additionally concerned that some of those held on charges connected to criticizing the government have been tried in military courts and we call on the authorities to cease immediately practices of trying civilians before military tribunals,” he said.
OHCHR called on the Tunisian authorities to respect due process and fair trial standards in all judicial proceedings and to release immediately all those arbitrarily detained, including anyone detained in relation to the exercise of their rights to freedom of opinion or expression.
The UN also condemned the series of measures taken since July 2021 by authorities, who undermined the independence of the judiciary, including dissolving the High Judicial Council and sacking 57 judges.
Meanwhile, a group of Tunisian political parties called for the release of all detainees arrested since last Saturday on charges of “conspiracy against state security.”
Tunisia’s left wing parties, the Democratic Current, Ettakatol, Workers' Party and Al-Qotb, denounced what they called “the manipulation of the Public Prosecution and security services to intimidate critical voices of the regime, including political activists, trade unionists, media figures, intellectuals, and businessmen.”
For its part, Ennahdha party condemned the arrests and accused the security services of “abducting and prosecuting” the regime’s opponents.
