In New Report, Human Rights Organization Reveals Serious Violations in the
Name of Security
WASHINGTON, June 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Tunisian government is
misleading the world by conveying a positive image of the human rights
situation in the country while its security forces committed abuses with
impunity and it continues unabated, Amnesty International revealed today in a
new report, "In the Name of Security: Routine Abuses in Tunisia."
"The Tunisian government has repeatedly asserted that it abides by its
international human rights obligations, yet this is far from the reality. It
is high time that the authorities stop paying lip service to human rights and
take concrete action to end abuses," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy
Director for the Middle East and North Africa Program. "As a first step, the
Tunisian authorities must acknowledge the disturbing allegations documented in
this report, commit to investigating them and bring those responsible to
justice."
The report details Amnesty International's concerns regarding serious human
rights violations being committed in connection with the government's security
and counter-terrorism policies. In their efforts to prevent the formation of
what they call "terrorist cells" inside Tunisia, the authorities have been
responsible for arbitrary arrests and detentions which breach Tunisian law.
Officials have forcibly disappeared detainees, used torture and other
ill-treatment and tried, convicted and sentenced people using unfair
proceedings. In addition, they have tried civilians before military courts and
produced little evidence to substantiate the charges.
The authorities use a broad definition of terrorism in the Tunisian
Anti-Terrorism Law to criminalize legitimate and peaceful opposition
activities. Although some legal reforms were introduced in recent years to
provide better protection for detainees, the laws are routinely flouted by the
Tunisian security forces, and have not served as an adequate safeguard against
torture, unfair trial and other human rights abuses.
Ramzi el Aifi, Ousama Abbadi and Mahdi Ben Elhaj Ali were three of the
co-defendants in the Soliman case. Their lawyers report that they were
punched, tied up and kicked by prison guards at Mornaguia prison on October
16, 2007, apparently because they had gone on hunger strike in protest against
their conditions of detention. Abbadi sustained a serious eye injury and a
deep, open leg wound and was in a wheelchair, unable to stand, when seen by
his lawyer on October 20, 2007. Ramzi el Aifi told his lawyer that he had been
tied up with a rope, beaten up and that a stick had been inserted into his
anus. No investigation into these abuses is known to have been initiated by
the Tunisian authorities and those allegedly responsible have not faced
justice. Ramzi el Aifi and Ousama Abbadi were sentenced to life imprisonment,
though Abbadi's sentence was reduced to 30 years' imprisonment on appeal.
Mahdi Ben Elhaj Ali was sentenced to 12 years in prison, reduced to eight
years on appeal.
Most human rights abuses are committed by forces of the Department of State
Security (DSS), who use torture virtually with impunity.
By failing to investigate allegations of torture, the Public Prosecutor and
his staff as well as judges, who often lack independence, effectively help to
cover up instances in which detainees are held incommunicado for prolonged
periods in breach of Tunisia's own law, as well as torture of detainees in
violation of Tunisian and international law. Through their silence and failure
to act, they become complicit in the abuses.
"The Tunisian authorities have an obligation to protect the public and combat
terrorism, but when doing so they must comply with their obligations under
international human rights law," said Hadj Sahraoui. "They must ensure that
the anti-terrorism and related provisions do not facilitate human rights
abuses, and that, in practice, the DDS and other security forces at all times
fully respect international human rights laws and standards."
Despite this record of abuses, a number of Arab and European governments and
the U.S. government have returned people they suspected of involvement in
terrorism to Tunisia, where they have then suffered arbitrary arrest and
detention, torture or other ill-treatment, and blatantly unfair trials.
Houssine Tarkhani was forcibly returned from France to Tunisia on June 3,
2007, and detained on arrival. He was kept in secret detention in the DSS in
Tunis for nine days, in violation of international human rights law, as well
as three days longer even than the period permitted by Tunisian law for garde
à vue detention. During this time, his lawyer reported, Houssine Tarkhani was
beaten with a stick all over his body, given electric shocks, insulted and
threatened with death. He was subjected to further beating when he asked to be
allowed to read the police report, which he was not permitted to read. During
his detention in garde à vue, none of his immediate relatives were informed of
his detention as required under Tunisian law.
His family knew of his whereabouts only when he was brought before an
investigating judge on June 12, 2007. He first appeared before the
investigating judge without the assistance of his lawyers, who were not
permitted access to him until June 19, 2007, when they saw him at Mornaguia
prison. His lawyer's request to have him examined for evidence of torture
still remains unanswered.
"Instead of forcibly returning Tunisian nationals who face torture and unfair
trials, foreign governments should be pressing the Tunisian government to take
concrete steps to promote human rights reform," said Hadj Sahraoui.
SOURCE Amnesty International
Sharon Singh of Amnesty International, +1-202-544-0200 x289
