NGOs: No to the demonization of civil society actors in Tunisia

January 15, 2024
CRLDHT

Tunisian civil society organizations and personalities denounce what they see as "demonization campaigns" against civil society by the Tunisian authorities.

In the press release below, Tunisian civil society organizations and personalities denounce what they consider to be "demonization campaigns" against civil society by the Tunisian authorities.

The Tunisian authorities are once again waging campaigns to demonize independent structures, the better to prepare public opinion for the adoption of a new law on associations, which aims to further restrict the scope of action of civil society organizations and undermine their autonomy, if not their very existence.

Close to the decision-making centers, those who thus attack with impunity personalities known, both before and after January 14, 2011, for their commitment to a free and democratic Tunisia and a more united and just society, such as Kamel Jendoubi, President of the first independent Higher Electoral Body and Honorary President of EuroMed Droits, Rami Salhi, Director of the Maghreb EuroMed Droits office, as well as associations and organizations known for their independence and their struggle for democracy over recent decades.

The orchestration of this campaign, which instrumentalizes the Palestinian cause for domestic political ends, is taking place at a time when, in the face of the Israeli attacks perpetrated against Gaza with the approval of most Western governments, the latter are restricting the activities of associations that support the Palestinian cause and denounce the war crimes committed by the Israeli army, the latter are restricting the activities of associations that support the Palestinian cause and denounce the war crimes committed by the Israeli army. In France, for example, the Fédération des Tunisiens pour une citoyenneté entre les deux rives (FTCR) and other associations such as ATFD and FTDES are subject to pressure and blackmail.

The undersigned associations, organizations and personalities :

- express their full support for the individuals and associations targeted by these smear campaigns;

- hold the Tunisian authorities responsible for allowing these attacks on human rights activists and associations, whose only crime is to fight for the existence of a pluralist democratic society;

- reject the draft law on associations, which calls into question civil society's freedom of action and threatens its autonomy;

- express their determination to continue this struggle for freedom, democracy and justice, despite all the restrictions currently in place against it.