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Transitional Justice in Tunisia—a Transition to What?

  January 14, the anniversary of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s 2011 ouster, is a now a national holiday in Tunisia. It is also a moment to examine how things are going in the country that ignited “the Arab…
The first public hearing held by the Truth and Dignity Commission (TDC), at Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia on November 17, 2016.
News

Ban Forced Anal Exams Around World

Abusive “Tests” for Homosexual Conduct Violate Rights

(Geneva) – Forced anal examinations on men and transgender women accused of consensual same-sex conduct have been reported in at least eight countries in the last five years, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. These examinations lack…
Poster by Shams, a Tunisian activist group, condemning the use of forced anal exams.
News

Tunisia: UN Panel Condemns Forced Anal Exams

Government Should Ban Abusive “Homosexuality” Tests

(Tunis) – The United Nations Committee Against Torture, in its most recent evaluation of Tunisia, condemned the use of forced anal examinations as an attempt to find “proof” against people accused of homosexual conduct, Human Rights Watch said today.…
Poster by Shams, a Tunisian activist group, condemning the use of forced anal exams.
News

Tunisia: Suspicious Death in Custody

Allegations of Torture During Arrest

(Tunis) – Tunisian authorities should conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the death of a man on October 3, 2014 who was allegedly tortured and abused during his arrest. Relatives of Mohamed Ali Snoussi who viewed his body told Human Rights…
News

Tunisia: Landmark Opportunity to Combat Torture

New Authority Needs Political Support, Resources

(Tunis) – Tunisian legislators should electqualified, independent experts to a new body created to combat and prevent torture. Authorities should give the new authority sufficient resources and the political support it needs to carry out its mandate…
News

Tunisia: Investigate Alleged Abuse in Prison

Two Detainees Report Beatings, Torture

(Tunis) – Tunisian authorities should open prompt and thorough investigations into allegations of mistreatment in Mornaguia prison. The allegations were brought by two suspects detained under the 2003 anti-terrorism law. Mohamed Amine Guesmi, a suspect…
News

Tunisia: Reform Legal Framework to Try Crimes of the Past

First Torture Trial Shows Need to Remove Obstacles to Accountability

(Tunis) – Tunisia’s first torture case to go to trial following the ouster of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali highlights the need to address inadequacies in the legal framework for trying torture crimes, Human Rights Watch said today. Many other cases…
News

Tunisia: Don’t Extradite Former Prime Minister to Libya

Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi at Real Risk of Torture

(New York) – Tunisia should halt plans to extradite Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, the former Libyan prime minister, to Libya, where at present he will be at a real risk of torture, Human Rights Watch said today. Authorities from the Libyan National…
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Universal Periodic Review of Tunisia

Human Rights Watch's Submission to the Human Rights Council

The government uses the threat of terrorism and religious extremism as a pretext to crack down on peaceful dissent. There are continuous and credible reports of torture and ill-treatment being used to obtain statements from suspects in custody. Sentenced…
News

US: Don’t Send Guantanamo Detainees Home to Torture and Abuse

‘Diplomatic Assurances’ Once Again Prove Inadequate

Authorities in Tunisia mistreated two former Guantanamo detainees who were sent home in June despite Tunisia’s pledge to the US government that it would treat them humanely, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Tunisian government is…
News

A Fate Worse Than Guantanamo

In mid-June, a group of U.S. soldiers entered the cells of Abdullah al-Hajji and Lofti Lagha at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where they had been held without charge for five years. The Americans cuffed the detainees' hands, shackled their ankles, muffed their…
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Leading Human Rights Groups Name 39 CIA ‘Disappeared’ Detainees

Three Groups File Lawsuit Seeking Information about ‘Ghost’ Detention

(New York) – In the most comprehensive accounting to date, six leading human rights organizations today published the names and details of 39 people who are believed to have been held in secret US custody and whose current whereabouts remain unknown. The…
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UK: Empty promises can't protect people from torture

Joint letter to Tony Blair from Human Rights Watch and Liberty

Human Rights Watch and Liberty are deeply concerned about the British government’s stated intention to seek diplomatic assurances against torture in order to deport terrorism suspects to their home countries or to third countries where they would be at…