Looking for Amnesty International s Secretary General denounces rollback of human rights upon concluding four-day visit in Tunis

Looking for Amnesty International s Secretary General denounces rollback of human rights upon concluding fourday visit in Tunis

Three years after President Kais Saied s power grab on 25 July 2021 Tunisia continues to witness a significant rollback of the human rights progress following the 2011 revolution.

Since 2022 authorities have carried out successive waves of arrests targeting political opponents and perceived critics of President Saied. More than 70 people including political opponents lawyers journalists activists and human rights defenders have been subjected to arbitrary prosecutions and/or arbitrary detention since the end of 2022. At least 40 people remained arbitrarily detained as of May 2024 in connection with the exercise of their internationally protected rights such as right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. In May 2024 authorities escalated repressive measures against migrants refugees and human rights defenders working to protect their rights.

In July 2023 the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tunisia under which among other things the EU has agreed to provide technical support to deter Europebound migration including 105 million with a focus on border management as well as nearly 1 billion in additional loans and financial support amid Tunisia s unprecedented economic crisis. This deal which lacked transparency or parliamentary scrutiny remains in operation. Amnesty International has repeatedly written to the EU s leadership raising concerns over the repercussions of cooperation with Tunisia without a prior human rights risk assessment.