UN rights chief says Tunisia must end repression of civil society, media

The United Nations rights chief demanded Thursday that Tunisia end widening repression targeting civil society organizations, journalists, rights defenders and opposition figures.

"The continued repression and restrictions on civic space by the Tunisian authorities undermine the rights of people protected under the country's constitution and its international human rights obligations," UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Türk said in a statement.

His comment came after Tunisian authorities this week temporarily banned the local branch of international NGO Avocats Sans Frontières, days after another leading group, the Tunisian League for Human Rights, was targeted by a similar measure.

Avocats Sans Frontieres told AFP they received a 30-day suspension but did not provide details on the reasons.

The UN rights office said that Tunisian authorities often cite funding and audit irregularities as the basis for suspensions.

"We are observing a growing trend in which Tunisian authorities are resorting to the use of judicially imposed sanctions to curb the exercise of the right to freedom of association with barest consideration for the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality required for such limitations to be permissible," Türk said.

He also highlighted that the Tunisian government in parallel was imposing intensifying restrictions on the media.

Journalists arrested

Late last month, Tunisian journalist Zied el-Heni, who had criticised court decisions against media colleagues and the judges involved, was arrested for causing "harm to others" and their reputations, his lawyer told AFP.

A Tunisian court sentenced el-Heni to one year in prison on Thursday. In a statement announcing the verdict, Heni's support committee quoted him as saying the trial was "illegitimate" and that he would "not recognise it nor any outcomes resulting from it, and I will not appeal the verdict."

Twenty-eight other journalists were arrested last year and had been sentenced to various prison terms for conduct linked to their professional activities, the UN rights office said.

Those arrests, it said, had been based on, among other legislation, provisions of a 2022 decree-law entitled "combating crimes related to information and communication systems."

"I urge the Tunisian authorities to release immediately and unconditionally all those detained or imprisoned for having expressed their views, protected under international human rights law, and to lift all arbitrary restrictions on the freedoms of expression and association," Türk said.

"Restrictions on fundamental freedoms must remain exceptional, grounded in clear law, be necessary and proportionate to pursue a legitimate objective, non-discriminatory and accompanied by due process and effective judicial oversight," he said.

"Upholding the rule of law in Tunisia requires stronger institutional safeguards, the protection of civic space, and inclusive, rights‑based legislative reform, in line with the country’s international human rights commitments."