The UN denounces the “intimidation” and “harassment” of lawyers and journalists critical of the Government of Tunisia

May 17. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, denounced this Friday the “intimidation” and “harassment” of lawyers and journalists critical of the Government of Tunisia as there is an increase in arrests of members of Tunisian civil society.

Shamdasani has thus expressed in a statement the “concern” of the United Nations about this matter and has stated that these actions “undermine the rule of law and violate international standards related to the protection, independence and function of lawyers.”

“We are witnessing an increase in the use of rhetoric based on racism and dehumanization against migrants and the black Tunisian population,” he warned before noting that there have been incidents related to “arbitrary detentions and the arrest of human rights defenders.” Humans, lawyers and journalists”.

In this sense, he regretted that the raids recorded last week at the headquarters of the Tunisian Bar Association “violate international regulations on the protection of the independence” of lawyers and constitute a clear example of “intimidation.” “We ask the authorities to respect and safeguard freedoms of expression and association,” the text states.

“The rule of law must prevail and those who have been arbitrarily detained, including migrants or human rights defenders, must be released. The rights of migrants must be protected and xenophobic speech must come to an end.” end”, he pointed out.

On Thursday, the president of Tunisia, Kais Saied, rejected the criticism leveled by the international community following the arrest of journalists, lawyers and civil society figures, and stated that “no one is above the law.”

His words came days after the well-known Tunisian lawyer and journalist Sonia Dahmani was detained at the headquarters of the Tunisian Bar Association. According to Tunisian media, Dahmani has been accused of spreading false information and making sarcastic comments about the current situation in the country.