Tunisian authorities suspend the activities of another NGO
The Tunisian government’s crackdown on rights groups and NGOs is continuing with the suspension of the activities of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), adding the organisation to the recent list of groups targeted by the authorities, according to The New Arab via AFP on November 6th.
The OMCT announced it was the latest to be targeted by the Tunisian government. The NGO said that for a month, it will be unable to provide “assistance to victims of torture and their families”. The organisation’s work in Tunisia is essential, especially in a context of political repression and systemic violence against migrants in the country.
The Tunisian authorities used the pretext of a financial audit to implement such a measure, with other rights groups and organisations also having their activities halted for a month. Tunisia says that this measure will allow them to analyse foreign funding and intervention, and identify signs of “conspiracy against the state” and interference with internal affairs.
However, the targeted groups rejected the authorities’ reasoning, as they considered that this ongoing crackdown on the NGOs was part of the government’s policies to attack president’s opponents.
According to the International Federation of Journalists, an investigative media outlet, Nawaat, also had its activities halted. This signals the authorities’ larger goal to limit freedom of speech and control the voices of its opposition, as reported by the Tunisian journalists.
The OMCT also pointed out that this suspension was worrisome, especially in the context of repeated attacks on Tunisia’s civil society.
Ever since President Kais Saied’s self-coup in 2021, there’s been a steady decline in individual freedoms in the North African country. Political opponents were arrested and later judged in unfair trials, Tunisians have seen their freedom of speech restricted under the guise of “violating moral values and public decency” and migrants have been mistreated, racially discriminated against and left to die in the Sahara.
The OMCT’s ban speaks volumes about the government’s goal to limit investigative journalism and reports regarding its human rights violations. Under such an environment, NGOs are unable to conduct their work independently without fearing repression or more intimidation from the authorities.
The New Arab via AFP, International Federation of Journalists, Maghrebi.org
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