Tunisia
16.03.01
Urgent Interventions
Turkey: increased harrassment of human rights defender
URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY
TUN 002/0300/OBS 022
Harassment
TUNISIA
16 March 2001
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Tunisia.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed that the surveillance to which lawyer Anouar Kousri, Vice-President of the Tunisian League of Human Rights, along with other human rights defenders, have been subjected, has intensified in the last few days. This constant surveillance is carried out by two branches of the police. The first group belongs to the intelligence services while the second group consists of members of the special services.
Since Tuesday 13 March their behaviour towards Anouar Kousri has been aggressive, as demonstrated by the comments made by one of these policemen, Mounir Mezghich : "You won't get away". In view of the recent attacks against human rights defenders in Tunisia, this threatening attitude is a cause for serious concern for his physical safety. This harassment is also extended to his friends and relatives. They disrupt his wife's professional life and frighten his daughters aged 18, 16 and 10 years old.
The police keep a constant watch on Anouar Kousri's home and on his office and have contacted some of his clients to put pressure on them.
Even though the Attorney General of the Republic in Bizerte has been informed of police activity against Anouar Kousri, the harassment increases.
This situation is the consequence of Anouar Kousri's involvement in the trial of two policemen charged with the death of Ridha Jeddi, as a result of ill treatment inflicted on him by the police. Anouar Kousri is the Jeddi family's attorney in this case.
After Ridha Jeddi's death was announced at the end of September, a demonstration took place in Menzel Bourguiba, during which certain demonstrators were arrested and tortured. Anouar Kousri registered a complaint. No action has been taken.
The Observatory considers these acts to be in flagrant breach of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, and in particular, Article 9, paragraph 3 which enshrines the right "to offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms" and Article 12 which states that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise…" of human rights.
Action requested :
Please write to the Tunisian authorities requesting them :
i. to immediately take all necessary steps to put an end to this harassment as any other reprisals against lawyer Anouar Kousri and his family and those close to him;
ii. to comply with the Declaration on Defenders of Human Rights, in particular, Article 1 which states that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" as well as article 9, para. 3 and 12;
iii. to generally guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Tunisia
Addresses :
M. Bechir TAKKARI, Ministre de la Justice, Ministère de la Justice, 31 Boulevard Bab Benat, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia, Fax: +216 1 568 106 E-mail: mju@ministeres.tn
M. KAABI, Ministre de l'Intérieur, Ministère de l'Intérieur, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, 1001 Tunis, Tunisie, Telegram: Ministre Intérieur, Tunis, Tunisia,
Fax: +216 1 340 888, E-mail: mint@ministeres.tn
M. Dali JAZI, Conseiller spécial au Président de la République Chargé de Droits de l'Homme, Palais Présidentiel, Tunis, Tunisia, Fax: +216 1 571314
M. Salaheddine Maaoui, Ministre Délégué chargé des Droits de l'Homme, Bureau du Premier Ministre, Place du Gouvernement, La Kasbah, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia, Fax: +216 1 570 842.
Paris - Geneva, 15 March 2001
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. 1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, please call the emergency line : Fax : +33 (0) 1 55 8083 92
Tel. : FIDH +33 (0)1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +4122 809 49 39
e-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
TUN 002/0300/OBS 022
Harassment
TUNISIA
16 March 2001
The Observatory for the protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Tunisia.
Brief description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed that the surveillance to which lawyer Anouar Kousri, Vice-President of the Tunisian League of Human Rights, along with other human rights defenders, have been subjected, has intensified in the last few days. This constant surveillance is carried out by two branches of the police. The first group belongs to the intelligence services while the second group consists of members of the special services.
Since Tuesday 13 March their behaviour towards Anouar Kousri has been aggressive, as demonstrated by the comments made by one of these policemen, Mounir Mezghich : "You won't get away". In view of the recent attacks against human rights defenders in Tunisia, this threatening attitude is a cause for serious concern for his physical safety. This harassment is also extended to his friends and relatives. They disrupt his wife's professional life and frighten his daughters aged 18, 16 and 10 years old.
The police keep a constant watch on Anouar Kousri's home and on his office and have contacted some of his clients to put pressure on them.
Even though the Attorney General of the Republic in Bizerte has been informed of police activity against Anouar Kousri, the harassment increases.
This situation is the consequence of Anouar Kousri's involvement in the trial of two policemen charged with the death of Ridha Jeddi, as a result of ill treatment inflicted on him by the police. Anouar Kousri is the Jeddi family's attorney in this case.
After Ridha Jeddi's death was announced at the end of September, a demonstration took place in Menzel Bourguiba, during which certain demonstrators were arrested and tortured. Anouar Kousri registered a complaint. No action has been taken.
The Observatory considers these acts to be in flagrant breach of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, and in particular, Article 9, paragraph 3 which enshrines the right "to offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms" and Article 12 which states that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise…" of human rights.
Action requested :
Please write to the Tunisian authorities requesting them :
i. to immediately take all necessary steps to put an end to this harassment as any other reprisals against lawyer Anouar Kousri and his family and those close to him;
ii. to comply with the Declaration on Defenders of Human Rights, in particular, Article 1 which states that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" as well as article 9, para. 3 and 12;
iii. to generally guarantee the effective respect of fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Tunisia
Addresses :
M. Bechir TAKKARI, Ministre de la Justice, Ministère de la Justice, 31 Boulevard Bab Benat, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia, Fax: +216 1 568 106 E-mail: mju@ministeres.tn
M. KAABI, Ministre de l'Intérieur, Ministère de l'Intérieur, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, 1001 Tunis, Tunisie, Telegram: Ministre Intérieur, Tunis, Tunisia,
Fax: +216 1 340 888, E-mail: mint@ministeres.tn
M. Dali JAZI, Conseiller spécial au Président de la République Chargé de Droits de l'Homme, Palais Présidentiel, Tunis, Tunisia, Fax: +216 1 571314
M. Salaheddine Maaoui, Ministre Délégué chargé des Droits de l'Homme, Bureau du Premier Ministre, Place du Gouvernement, La Kasbah, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia, Fax: +216 1 570 842.
Paris - Geneva, 15 March 2001
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. 1998 Human Rights Prize of The French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, please call the emergency line : Fax : +33 (0) 1 55 8083 92
Tel. : FIDH +33 (0)1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +4122 809 49 39
e-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch