AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, AVOCATS SANS FRONTIÈRES, EURO-MED HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK, INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (FIDH), HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, INTERNATIONAL SERVICE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, OBSERVATORY FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, WORLD ORGANIZATION AGAINST TORTURE (OMCT)
With the European Union expected to delay its Association Council with Tunisia scheduled for next week, nine leading human rights organisations have issued a joint appeal for the EU to address serious concerns about the human rights situation in Tunisia.
With the European Union expected to delay its Association Council with Tunisia scheduled for next week, nine leading human rights organisations have issued a joint appeal for the EU to address serious concerns about the human rights situation in Tunisia.
In an open letter (see attached) to European Commissioner Chris Patten, the EU High Representative Javier Solana and EU Foreign Ministers, human rights organisations say the EU must address, in concrete terms, the deterioration in the human rights situation in Tunisia since the EU-Tunisia Association Agreement was signed six years ago.
Human rights organisations point out that the EU-Tunisia Association Agreement contains a legally-binding human rights clause (art. 2), stipulating that relations between the parties shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles.
“If ever there was a time for the EU to convene an Association Council to press for verifiable progress under the mandatory human rights clause, this is the occasion to do it,” said the nine human rights organisations.
Their open letter states: “In this context and in light of the increasingly grave attacks and restrictions on human rights defenders by the Tunisian authorities, the undersigned organizations call on the EU to urge Tunisia to fulfil its obligations under the Association Agreement and international human rights law, by among other things:
- freeing all persons detained for the non-violent exercise of the right to speech, association or assembly;
- restoring the right to freedom of movement;
- ending all forms of harassment against human rights defender;
- instituting effective safeguards to prevent the use of torture in police custody;
- instituting a credible system for investigations allegations of abuse
- inviting the UN Special Representative on human rights defenders to visit Tunisia.”
See the full text of the open letter and background on the human rights situation in Tunisia.
For further comment/background and interviews:
Amnesty International EU Office (Brussels):
Tel: 32-2-5021499
Fax: 32-2-5025686
Email: [email protected]