STORY: UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on the situation in Tunisia

TRT: 01:28

SOURCE: OHCHR / UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9 
DATELINE: 15 October 2024 – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND 

SHOTLIST 

1. Exterior shots : Palais de Nations
2. Cut aways: Briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English)—Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk is calling on the Tunisian authorities to protect the country’s democratic processes and uphold fundamental freedoms after a presidential campaign marred by a crackdown on the opposition, independent activists and journalists.”
4. Cut aways: Briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “In the weeks leading up to the election, which was held on 6 October, over 100 prospective candidates, members of their campaigns and other political figures were arrested on a variety of charges ranging from falsification of electoral paperwork to charges related to national security,
6. Cut aways: Briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Such cases are troubling. Their trials indicate a lack of respect for due process and fair trial guarantees.”
8. Cut aways: Briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The rejection of a legally binding court decision is at odds with basic respect for the rule of law.”
10. Cut aways: Briefing room
11. SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We strongly urge Tunisia to recommit to transitional justice in the interests of victims, and to embark on much needed rule of law reforms, in line with international human rights law, including with regard to freedoms of expression, assembly and association.  We also call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained.”
12. Cut aways: Briefing room

“UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk is calling on the Tunisian authorities to protect the country’s democratic processes and uphold fundamental freedoms after a presidential campaign marred by a crackdown on the opposition, independent activists and journalists,”” his spokesperson Liz Throssell told the biweekly briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.

“In the weeks leading up to the election, which was held on 6 October, over 100 prospective candidates, members of their campaigns and other political figures were arrested on a variety of charges ranging from falsification of electoral paperwork to charges related to national security,” she said.

Out of 17 prospective candidates, the Independent High Authority for Elections only accepted three. A number of presidential hopefuls have been arrested and received lengthy prison sentences on various charges.

“Such cases are troubling. Their trials indicate a lack of respect for due process and fair trial guarantees,” Throssell said. 

In another concerning development, the ele ctoral authorities refused on 2 September to apply a ruling by the Administrative Court to readmit three excluded candidates. Subsequently, in an extraordinary session just days before the election, Parliament passed a law removing electoral disputes from the court’s jurisdiction. 

“The rejection of a legally binding court decision is at odds with basic respect for the rule of law,” the spokesperson highlighted, nothing that this development comes within a broader context of increasing pressure on civil society over the past year, targeting numerous journalists, human rights defenders and political opponents, as well as judges and lawyers.

Since 2011, Tunisia had been a pioneer in efforts to ensure accountability and redress for past abuses, including through the work of the Truth and Dignity Commission. However, a number of these gains have been lost, of which recent arrest of the former head of the commission is an example. 

“We strongly urge Tunisia to recommit to transitional justice in the interests of victims, and to embark on much needed rule of law reforms, in line with international human rights law, including with regard to freedoms of expression, assembly and association.  We also call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained,” Throssell said.

ENDS