Post by Seabird on Jun 8, 2007 1:30:50 GMT
Tunisian defenders punished for cooperating with international human rights groups
Tunisian human rights defenders who met with and assisted researchers from Human Rights First and Front Line during a recent joint mission to Tunisia are facing increasing harassment and repression.
On May 24, 2007, imprisoned human rights lawyer Mohamed Abbou was forcefully removed from the prison's visiting room after his wife Samia informed him that representatives from Human Rights First and Front Line were accompanying her in her trip from Tunis to the Kef prison. The following week, prison authorities threatened to forbid her from visiting her husband if she mentioned human rights-related issues or informed him of the support he is getting from international human rights organizations.
Human rights activist Lassad Jouhri, who was planning to accompany Human Rights First and Front Line to the Kef prison, was detained by police for several hours and severely beaten. He suffered two broken fingers.
Dozens of security officers have been surrounding the office of the National Committee for Liberties in Tunisia (CNLT) and preventing its members from entering the building since May 19, 2007. This measure clearly aims to punish the CNLT for the assistance it provided to the two international organizations during their mission.
Support Tunisia's embattled human rights community by calling on President Ben Ali to immediately cease harassment and attacks against human rights defenders.
Learn More About These Human Rights Defenders
Click Here to Take Action
Tunisian human rights defenders who met with and assisted researchers from Human Rights First and Front Line during a recent joint mission to Tunisia are facing increasing harassment and repression.
On May 24, 2007, imprisoned human rights lawyer Mohamed Abbou was forcefully removed from the prison's visiting room after his wife Samia informed him that representatives from Human Rights First and Front Line were accompanying her in her trip from Tunis to the Kef prison. The following week, prison authorities threatened to forbid her from visiting her husband if she mentioned human rights-related issues or informed him of the support he is getting from international human rights organizations.
Human rights activist Lassad Jouhri, who was planning to accompany Human Rights First and Front Line to the Kef prison, was detained by police for several hours and severely beaten. He suffered two broken fingers.
Dozens of security officers have been surrounding the office of the National Committee for Liberties in Tunisia (CNLT) and preventing its members from entering the building since May 19, 2007. This measure clearly aims to punish the CNLT for the assistance it provided to the two international organizations during their mission.
Support Tunisia's embattled human rights community by calling on President Ben Ali to immediately cease harassment and attacks against human rights defenders.
Learn More About These Human Rights Defenders
Click Here to Take Action