Letter to Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali

May 17, 2001  
 
President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali  
Palais Presidentiel  
Carthage, Tunisia  
 
Dear President Ben Ali,  
 
I am writing to convey to you the pleasure of Human Rights Watch that Nejib Hosni was freed from prison May 12, following your decision to amnesty him.  

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We hope that Me. Hosni's release is a sign that all human rights activists in Tunisia will enjoy greater freedom as they pursue their work. We also take note of your remarks quoted in As-Sabah of May 11, about accountability for public officials: "We have not hesitated, nor shall we hesitate, to ask for an explanation of whosoever is guilty of neglect of duty or commiting an offence or an abuse, whatever his position." More generally, you vowed that human rights "will be further enhanced and consolidated in the future."  
 
To restore to Me. Hosni all of his rights as a citizen and lawyer would be among the most significant steps you could take in pursuit of this objective. It is our hope that the passports of Nejib and his wife Thouraya will be returned to them without delay, and that they will be free to travel. We also hope that Me. Hosni will be permitted to practice law without conditions and that his telephone service will be restored. And Me. Hosni, along with all other members of the National Council on Liberties in Tunisia, should be free to meet, speak, and conduct activities on its behalf despite the refusal to date by the government to grant it legal recognition.  
 
Me. Hosni was jailed in December 2000, first to serve a fifteen-day sentence on charges of disobeying a court order to refrain from practicing law, and then to serve the remainder of an eight-year sentence from which he had been conditionally released in 1996. That original eight-year sentence was imposed after Me. Hosni was convicted of drawing up and using a fraudulent contract, charges that were criticized by Human Rights Watch and many other human rights organizations as fabricated in order to punish Hosni for his outspoken human rights work.  
 
Once again, we are gratified that Me. Hosni is home from prison and look forward to further signs that all human rights defenders will soon be able to work and speak freely in Tunisia.  
 
 
Sincerely yours,  
 
 
 
Hanny Megally  
Executive Director  
Middle East and North Africa Division  
Human Rights Watch