Tunisia Withdraws from African Union Human Rights Court, Raising Alarms
Tunisia has officially withdrawn from the African Union’s human rights court, a decision criticized for signaling an erosion of freedoms. The government did not provide a reason for this move, which rights groups denounce as a regressive step against judicial independence and public accountability. Activists highlight the adverse effects this decision entails for citizens’ abilities to challenge state violations.
Tunisia has announced its withdrawal from the African Union’s human rights court, a move criticized by human rights organizations as indicative of a government increasingly inclined towards authoritarianism. The decision was made public through a declaration shared by activists, stating that Tunisia would no longer recognize the court’s jurisdiction to hear appeals from individuals and NGOs.
The absence of a stated rationale for this withdrawal from the Arusha-based court—responsible for upholding the AU’s human rights charter—has raised concern. Attempts by the Tunisian foreign ministry to provide comments were reportedly unfulfilled.
In 2017, Tunisia initially granted its citizens and non-governmental organizations the right to take grievances to the court, emerging as a democratic power in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. However, since President Kais Saied’s significant power consolidation in 2021, numerous rights advocates have expressed alarm over the diminishing freedoms and judicial independence.
Many critics of President Saied’s administration remain incarcerated, with some undergoing mass trials on allegations of plotting against the state. Human rights organizations have denounced these processes as politically driven and aimed at stifling dissent.
Following a case filed by relatives of several detained opposition leaders—including Rached Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahdha party—the African court previously ruled against Tunisia, urging the government to permit the detainees access to legal and medical assistance.
The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) has condemned the withdrawal as a clandestine maneuver and a significant regression in judicial independence, asserting that it undermines the ability to contest state abuses. Furthermore, the CRLDHT described the withdrawal as both a negation of prior commitments to human rights and a concerning step diminishing local accountability mechanisms.
Tunisia’s withdrawal from the African Union’s human rights court signifies a troubling regression in its commitment to human rights and democratic principles. The uninterrupted dissent from rights organizations underscores the detrimental impact of this decision on citizens’ legal channels for addressing state violations, especially in the context of President Saied’s administration’s increasing authoritarian tendencies.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
