Press Release |
|
|
Tunisian Government Should Respect Human Rights During Unrest |
Washington December 30, 2010
Freedom House is deeply concerned about repressive measures used by Tunisian authorities in response to the current protests and political unrest in the country. It urges the government to refrain from the unnecessary use of force against peaceful protesters and to respect the fundamental rights of its people, including the right to freely express dissenting opinions.
The unrest began nearly two weeks ago when a young Tunisian man, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire to protest the country's high unemployment rate. The incident, which took place in the provincial town of Sidi Bouzid, became the catalyst that sparked widespread protest and riots that have become a referendum on the government of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. Protesters are calling for an end to corruption, nepotism, and restrictions on basic freedoms. There have been reports of Tunisian security forces opening fire on protesters as well as large scale arrests and torture of prisoners. Although traditional media in Tunisia is heavily restricted and authorities have sophisticated methods for repressing internet freedom, reports of the protests have spread through non-traditional forms of media as bloggers and regular citizens have been tracking the events. "The growing strength of the protests makes it clear that the Tunisian people have something to say and lack the democratic means through which to channel this dissent, including a free and independent media and the ability to peacefully protest," said David J. Kramer, Executive Director at Freedom House. "Freedom House urges Tunisian authorities to ensure the protection of the human rights of its citizens while working to facilitate to a peaceful resolution to this crisis." Tunisia has one of the worst media environments in the world. Of the 15 countries surveyed in Freedom House’s 2009 Freedom of the Net survey, Tunisia was tied with China as the 2nd worst country. Despite constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and association, the government uses an array of legal, penal and economic measures to silence dissenting voices. In June of this year, Tunisia’s Parliament passed a law that criminalizes opposition activities. Journalists and bloggers as well as human rights activists and voices of political dissent are routinely harassed, arrested and imprisoned. The state strictly monitors and severely curbs the work of opposition parties. Tunisia is ranked Not Free in Freedom in the World 2010, Freedom House's annual global assessment of political rights and civil liberties and Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2010. To learn more about Tunisia, visit: Freedom in the World 2010: Tunisia Freedom of the Press 2010: Tunisia Freedom on the Net 2009 Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights. Join us on Facebook and Twitter (freedomhousedc) and stay up to date with Freedom House’s latest news and events by signing up for our RSS feeds. |
| –END– |
Support the right of every individual to be free.
Donate Now
Freedom Alerts
Syrian human rights groups have reported that 1,500 people demonstrated in the crowded Damascus neighborhood of al-Hariqa after a young man was beaten by police without cause. In the face of this popular protest, the Minister of the Interior promised to hold the officers accountable. Syrian human rights groups have called for an investigation.
Turkish security forces raided the offices of website Oda TV and detained its owner for questioning regarding an alleged plot to overthrow the Government known as the Ergenekon case. The homes of other three journalists have also been searched.
A teenage blogger was sentenced to 5 years in prison during a closed door trial in Syria, accused of spying for a foreign country. Witnesses that were present during the session said the judge offered no evidence to support the accusations.
For a third time in less than a month, Ecuadorian authorities have interrupted emissions during a critical news show at the television station Teleamazonas to air an official rebuttal to a report it deemed critical of the government.
| Employment Opportunities | Donate
Freedom House is proud to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign.
Charity number: 11533