Tunisian authorities have arrested at least nine people amid escalating government actions in recent weeks to muzzle free speech, prosecute dissent, and crack down on migrants and asylum seekers, Human Rights Watch said on May 17. Tunisian authorities should respect and protect space for independent civil society to operate fully and freely.
Between May 3 and 13, 2024, security forces arrested two prominent lawyers and two well-known journalists, as well as at least five members of at least three legally registered nongovernmental organizations working on migration, asylum, and racial justice: Mnemty, the Tunisian Refugee Council, and Terre d’Asile Tunisie. In total, members of at least eight nongovernmental organizations have been investigated or summoned.
According to the Tunisian government, a draft law on associations is currently being finalized by the Tunisian Justice Ministry. Leaked drafts since 2022 suggest that the government may give the administration overly broad powers and discretion to interfere with the way civil society organizations are formed, their functions and operations, and their funding.
Read more here.
