Ben Ali's dictatorship creates "terrorists" to stand for Europeans and Americans as a bulwark against terrorism.
While in Geneva as part of the autumn session of the Commission on Human Rights, lawyer Radhia Nasraoui reflects the persistent excesses in the fight against terrorism carried out in Tunisia. Interview by Carole Vann / Human Rights Tribune -
sidelines of the 9th session of the Council of Human Rights, Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists and the International Federation of Human Rights, organized Friday, September 12 a panel discussion on the continuing violations committed in the name of the fight against terrorism. One Friday, September 11, 2009
Nylons Feet Smelliing
participants, the Tunisian lawyer Radhia Nasraoui, founder of the Association against Torture in Tunisia (ALTT), explains the impact of 11 September on the profession of judges in his country. Interview.
What the September 11 attacks have changed in Tunisia?
A law "relating to the contribution to the international effort against terrorism and money laundering", effective December 10, 2003 can imprison people without any charges against them. The authorities can accuse anyone of belonging to terrorist networks with no evidence.
This violates the basic principles to ensure fair trials. It allows judges, witnesses and investigators to conceal their identity under the pretext of protection measures. Suddenly, the person accused is deprived of its right to challenge a judge or a witness.
Normally, in Tunisia, a person may challenge a judge or a witness for lack of objectivity if they can prove they have, for example, a family or neighborhood disputes.
Likewise with the new law, if the investigator practice inhumane acts on the defendant, he no longer can file a complaint against her torturer because he can not identify it.
Another problem is the impairment of solicitor-client privilege. The law at December 10, anyone who does not denounce a person likely to be in terrorist networks, even if it is bound to professional secrecy is punishable by 5 years imprisonment or more. The role of the lawyer is almost annihilated.
Is this abuse of authority lead to a rise of Islamism in Tunisia?
Absolutely. Many young people were not practicing I stand before entering prison. They had no political activity and did not consider not as an enemy power. But the torture and abuse them so humiliated that they are now detained under the influence of Salafist [Salafism, a movement claimed by the Muslim Brotherhood, which advocates a return to basics of Islam] These young prisoners tell me I was unjustly arrested. If I ever get out of prison, I will fight this regime.
Yet there are intelligent people in power. How do you explain such a drift?
The power needs to create "terrorists" to stand for European governments and Americans as a bulwark against terrorism. Their message "We imprison all those who may pose a danger to you. You must help us. "So Ben Ali manages to remain president for life. This regime has no long-term vision. During his
UPR before the Council of Human Rights in March, Tunisia has committed to inviting the Special Rapporteur on the protection of freedoms in the fight against terrorism. She also invited Human Rights Watch to visit its prisons. These visits have taken place?
The Tunisian government has not yet been agreed with Human Rights Watch. And yet nothing has been set for the special rapporteur.
It seems that capital punishment is not applied in Tunisia. Yet there have been several death sentences in 2008. What is it?
There have been a dozen death sentences this year. Tunisia prides itself no longer apply the death penalty, but nearly a hundred prisoners waiting in death row in inhumane conditions, some have been there for over ten years. They have no right to visit or their family or their lawyer. They can not receive any mail. They are cut off from all outside contact, some lost their reason.
(Source: "Human Rights Tribune (Switzerland),
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