Tunisian NGO says state silence over migrant deaths is alarming

A prominent Tunisian rights organization has denounced what it calls a “conspiracy of silence” by national authorities following the discovery of dozens of migrant bodies along Tunisia’s eastern coastline, InfoMigrants reported on June 17th.

Romdhane Ben Amor, spokesperson for the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), said on local radio Express FM that the state had failed to provide a public account of the deaths, which occurred in Sfax and Mahdia.

The NGO also raised concerns about the conduct of the Tunisian coast guard, which it claims has employed violent tactics, caused collisions with migrant boats, and failed to organise effective rescue efforts. These interventions, Ben Amor argued, often worsen the danger for migrants rather than provide assistance.

InfoMigrants