Human Rights Watch says the muted response from UN member states to Tunisia’s deepening rights crisis amounts to a “free pass” for authorities to tighten their grip on civic life.
In May, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk urged Tunisian authorities to halt a campaign targeting civil society groups, journalists, human rights defenders, opposition figures and judicial officials — actions carried out through criminal charges and administrative barriers. Independent UN experts have likewise voiced criticism of Tunisia’s human rights practices.
“The alarm has been sounded. Now the Human Rights Council and UN member states should set political expediency aside, break their silence, and publicly condemn the Tunisian government’s repression,” the HRW statement said.
