Tunisia leaves African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
Tunisia has said it will immediately withdraw from the African Union’s African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
According to Middle East Monitor, on March 20th Tunisia announced “the withdrawal of its recognition of the competence of the [African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights] to accept cases from individuals and non-governmental organisations”.
The court is trusted with enforcing the African Union’s human rights charter. Due to Tunisia’s withdrawal, individuals and human rights groups now cannot bring cases against Tunisian authorities.
Tunisia’s exit has come amid a series of cases filed against the country over the past few years, one such example being when in May 2023 the relatives of four detained opposition figures filed a case demanding their release.
In August 2024, the African Union court ruled against Tunisia, asking that the government allow detainees access to their doctors and lawyers.
The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) denounced the move, describing it as a decision “taken secretly” and as “a dangerous step backwards and an attempt to withdraw from independent judicial institutions capable of fighting impunity and guaranteeing justice”.
In February, Tunisia received criticism from the United Nations, which accused the country of “political crackdowns”. Tunisia has since dubbed the claims inaccurate.
Middle East Monitor, Maghrebi, The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
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