• Human Rights in Tunisia
    Following the ouster of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011, an Islamist party won a plurality of seats in the following election. The first draft of a new constitution upholds several key human rights but also undermines women’s rights and freedom of expression. Tunisians now enjoy a greater degree of freedom of assembly, expression, and association than in the past. However, the protection of human rights has been hampered by the failure to make the judiciary more independent. The executive branch has attempted to control the media, and authorities fail to investigate physical assaults allegedly committed by religious fundamentalists.
  • © 2011 Human Rights Watch
    Tunisia: 2 Years in Prison for a Song
    The two-year prison sentence for a Tunisian rapper on June 13, 2013, for “insulting the police” in a song violates freedom of speech. The criminal court sentence is another manifestation of the continuing intolerance for those who criticize government institutions in Tunisia.
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Tunisia

  • Human Rights Watch Daily Brief, 17 June
    Jun 17, 2013
  • Tunisia: 2 Years in Prison for a Song
    Jun 15, 2013
    The two-year prison sentence for a Tunisian rapper on June 13, 2013, for “insulting the police” in a song violates freedom of speech. The criminal court sentence is another manifestation of the continuing intolerance for those who criticize government institutions in Tunisia.
  • Tunisia: Sweeping Political Exclusion Law
    Jun 15, 2013
    Tunisia’s legislature should amend the latest draft of a law intended to bar government officials under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from holding public office for seven years.
  • Tunisia: Bystanders Shot in Clash with Police
    Jun 3, 2013
    Several apparent bystanders were shot as police used force to suppress violent protests in Tunis on May 19, 2013. One person was killed and at least three were severely injured.
  • Tunisia: Amend Counterterrorism Law
    May 29, 2013
    Tunisian legislators should revise the 2003 counterterrorism law,Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the National Constituent Assembly. The 2003 law uses an overly broad definition of terrorism and incitement to terrorism and undermines the right to an effective defense.
  • Letter to the Tunisian National Constituent Assembly on the 2003 Counterterrorism Law
    May 29, 2013
  • Tunisia: Revise the Draft Constitution
    May 13, 2013
    Tunisia’s National Constituent Assembly (NCA) should modify articles in the new draft constitution that threaten human rights. Human Rights Watch analyzed the draft constitution to identify human rights concerns.
  • Tunisia: Release TV Station Director
    Apr 12, 2013
    Tunisia’s new justice minister should ensure the immediate release of Sami Fehri, the director of the privately owned Attounissia TV channel.
  • Tunisia: New Law Should Create Independent Judges
    Mar 28, 2013
    Tunisia’s National Constituent Assembly should commit to the creation of an independent judiciary free from government interference. The assembly will consider a proposed law to establish a Temporary Judicial Council (TJC) later this week, which would replace the discredited Supreme Judicial Council as the primary body responsible for the functioning of the judicial system. The proposed law, although an improvement on a 2012 predecessor, still raises concerns about the extent that ministers would continue to have influence on the disciplining of judges and other issues affecting their independence from government.
  • Tunisia: Repeal Criminal Defamation Law
    Mar 20, 2013
    New criminal defamation charges against a university professor and a blogger for allegedly libeling public officials underscore the need to end the criminalization of defamation in Tunisia. They face up to two years in prison for publicly exposing alleged wrongdoing of the minister of foreign affairs and the general rapporteur of the constitution at the National Constituent Assembly.
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