Support to Victims and Testimonies of Survivors

In 2025, SANAD, OMCT's comprehensive direct assistance program for victims of torture and ill-treatment in Tunisia, continued to provide comprehensive support to victims of institutional violence in Tunisia.

183 new beneficiaries joined the programme, including 116 direct victims (including 31 beneficiaries in detention) and 67 indirect victims who sought various forms of assistance from SANAD. 68 new social assistance cases were opened. 27 new people have begun to receive psychological counseling. 46 new beneficiaries have gained access to medical assistance, and 60 new beneficiaries have received legal support.

Adel, aged 46, was deprived of his liberty for nearly three years, during which he was subjected to ill-treatment. His wife, Noura, aged 40, spent five years in detention without adequate access to the medical care she needed for her health condition. This left their two children, Lina, aged 10, and Youssef, aged 11, to grow up in a climate of deprivation and emotional insecurity. Upon their release, the couple found themselves stigmatised, left alone to deal with the social, psychological, and medical consequences of their ordeal.

Faced with this situation of multidimensional vulnerability, SANAD provided comprehensive and progressive psychological support for the entire family, offering a safe space for listening and rebuilding, while appropriate medical care was provided to address Noura's deteriorating health.

With a view to social rehabilitation and empowerment, SANAD also supported Noura's access to literacy training in partnership with a specialized state program, enabling her to acquire the basic skills essential to empower her autonomy.

In addition, the support provided to Adel to open a small shop selling household and hygiene products was a key step in the process of socio-economic stabilisation. This project strengthened both the household's resources and its sense of dignity, responsibility, and hope for the future. Today, the family is embarking on sustainable reconstruction.

OMCT places a strong emphasis on supporting survivors of torture and their families when States institutions fail to recognise them and provide justice and reparation. When members of the SOS-Torture Network and other partners lack the resources to respond, they refer cases to OMCT, which provides assistance through the Victims’ Fund.

OMCT offers comprehensive support to these victims, including legal and advocacy interventions, designed to encourage positive progress in their pursuit of justice. These targeted interventions can also drive broader systemic changes, such as reinforcing preventive measures against torture or abolishing unlawful laws and practices.