Tunisia

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the arrest and restricted movement of human rights defenders Zakia Dhifaoui, member of the Kairouan section of the Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'Homme (Tunisian League of Human Rights) (LTDH); Ali Ben Salem, president of the Bizerte section of the LTDH; Mohamed Ben Saïd, member of the Bizerte section of the LTDH; Othman Jmili and Faouzi Sadkaoui of the Association internationale de soutien aux prisonniers politiques en Tunisie (International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners in Tunisia) (AISPP).  

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the ill-treatment of human rights defender Slim Boukhdir while in detention. Slim Boukhdir was arrested on 26 November 2007 and on 18 January 2008 he was sentenced to one year's imprisonment. He is currently detained in Sfax prison, 230 kilometres south of Tunis. Slim Boukhdir is a correspondent with the London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi and the website of the satellite news channel Al-Arabiya. He also writes for other news websites, including Tunisnews and Kantara.  

On 3 March 2008 at 8.15am, Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine were returning to Tunis from a trip to Europe when they were subjected to a full-body search on their arrival at the port of La Goulette. Members of the Tunisian Political Police requested that they follow them to the customs office, on the pretext of fulfilling an administrative formality. Once inside the office, the policemen reportedly locked the door and Omar Mestiri and Sihem Bensedrine were detained for six hours, during which time they were subject to beatings while their clothes were damaged and their bags torn open. The policemen reportedly confiscated their mobile phones and their bank cards. Several original documents were taken and the policemen also made copies of the hard discs of their lap-top computers. Sihem Bensedrine is currently suffering from a sprained wrist and an injury to her elbow as a result of the assault.  

Front Line is concerned for the physical integrity of Abdul Raouf Ayadi, after he was attacked by members of the Tunisian security police on 1 November 2007. Members of the security police prevented Abdul Raouf Ayadi from visiting the lawyer Mohamed Ennouri, who is currently on hunger strike. They physically restrained and pushed Abdul Raouf Ayadi to the ground, they then proceeded to verbally insult him and said that he was a traitor as he was ‘sold to the United States’. They then announced to the crowd of onlookers that Abdul Raouf Ayadi was a thief.  

Front Line is deeply concerned by reports that the office of human rights lawyer, Ayachi Hammami, was subject to an arson attack on 31 August 2007. Ayachi Hammami is the Secretary General of the Tunis section Ligue tunisienne pour la défense des droits de l’homme (Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights - LTDH). He is also an executive member of the Collectif 18 octobre pour les droits et les libertés (18 October Collective for Rights and Liberties).  

Human Rights Defender Omar Mestiri has been summoned to appear before the Court of First Instance in Tunis to answer charges of libel based on an article he wrote commenting on the reinstatement of a lawyer with strong political connections who had been previously struck off. Front Line believes the charges are politically motivated.