Tunisian Human Rights Organizations Launch "Cry of Alarm" in Protest Against Suspension of Activities of 17 NGOs

SadaNews - Tunisian human rights organizations have launched a "cry of alarm" in protest against the authorities' suspension of activities of 17 associations and non-governmental organizations, a move that the Tunisian National Association for Human Rights considers a direct targeting of civil society and a restriction on free and critical voices.

The head of the association, Bassam El-Tarifi, stated at a press conference that the decisions do not affect political parties, but rather associations working in social and humanitarian fields to support state efforts in marginalized areas, considering that what is happening represents a serious regression in civil liberties.

Human rights sources confirmed that among the associations affected by the decision are the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, in addition to the office of the International Organization Against Torture, along with a temporary suspension of the news sites "Inqifada" and "Nawaat."

On his part, the head of the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate, Ziad Debar, argued that these measures come within the framework of the escalating hate speech against opponents and increasing censorship over the media, pointing out that the independent editorial line has become a cause for concern for the authorities.

Civil society organizations warn that these suspensions could pave the way for a definitive dissolution of those institutions, amidst the ongoing authoritarian approach of President Kais Saied since his decision to monopolize power in July 2021, which was followed by arrests and trials targeting opponents and journalists on charges such as spreading false news and conspiring against the state security.

This escalation comes at a time when fears are increasing regarding the contraction of public and media freedoms in Tunisia, more than a decade after the 2011 revolution, which made freedom of expression one of its most significant gains.