Tunisia slaps travel ban on lawyer representing Palestine
A lawyer representing Palestine has been burdened with a travel ban amid Tunisian president’s “power grab”, according to The New Arab.
Chawki Tabib was banned on 8th January from crossing the Tunisian border as a legal representative in South Africa’s case against Israel’s genocide of Gaza.
The ban resulted in Tabib’s absence in essential preparation meetings in Kuwait on 9-10th January. From Kuwait, Tabib was to travel to Hague to attend the International Court of Justice to support South Africa’s case.
The Tunisian lawyer wrote “This is the only day I wished to be outside Tunisia,” on 11th January.
In December 2023, Tabib “filed a complaint…with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague against war criminals, killers of Palestinian children, and the leaders of the Zionist entity,”
Tunisia argues that any legal action taken against Israel would only validate the recognition of ‘the Zionist entity’.
READ: Tunisia refuses to back ICJ case against Israel
However, Tunisia’s foreign ministry revealed that a group of Tunisian lawyers will make verbal claims against Israel at Hague in February 2023. Tunisia remains that it will not formally participate in the case.
The Amnesty Rights group has accused Tunisia’s leader, President Saied of imposing autocratic travel bans to at least fifty other activists and politicians.
In 2020, Tabib was dismissed from his duties by Tunisia’s Prime Minister at the time as head of the INLUCC, a national anti-corruption authority.
Several NGOs and lawyers regarded the dismissal as ‘anti-constitutional’ as the government did not disclose the reasoning behind their actions.
Having left the INLUCC and focusing on his legal career, Tabib fell subject to many complaints against him. Former PM Elias Fakhfakh who accused Tabib of debasing his reputation for “political ends.” Tabib denied all accusations.
The New Arab
