'N /AMNESTY C i I I INTERNATIONAL : INTERNACIONAU 1,52005 lib I AMNISTIE INTERNATIONALE MEJKAVHAPOflHAH v £XfCJTIVE 0=f:cr AMHMCTHH OF THE S-;C!'iET^r<Y.C,r'.'EPAL Hef.: MDE-IJN 375/2005 His Excellency Mr Kofi Annan Secretary-Genera] of the United Nations United Nations S-3 800 New York, NY 10017, USA 15 November 2005 Dear Secretary General, I write to express^Amnesty Jincrnational's growing concern for the safety of Tunisian human rights activ'ists, foreign journalists and others who will attend the World Summit on jhejrrjgrm.atian Society (WS IS) in Tunisia later this woek. Since the decision was taken to hold this second phase of the WS1S in Tunis several years ago Amnesty International has been concerned that Tunisia's poor human rights record put in question its appropriateness a^s a veniie for such an important Summit We wrote in December 2000 to Mr Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary-General of the international telecommunications Union, to express concern that human rights defenders were regularly subjected to persecution by Tunisian authorities, that the government limited exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and association, and that the United Nations' own human rights institutions had repeatedly raised the government's failure lo observe its human rights obligations. We hoped that the decision to hold the WS1S in Tunis would lead the government to take positive measures to improve its observance of fundamental human rights. Regrettably, torture remains common and many political prisoners arc serving lengthy sentences imposed after unfair trials. Moreover, recent months have seen a further tightening of official controls on freedom of expression, notably on critics or opponents of the government. This includes the arrest and detention of prisoners of conscience and further harassment of Tunisian human rights defenders, some of whom . have been physically assaulted by persons believed to be plain-clothes security officers. Details on these and other abuses are provided in a new Amnesty International report, Tunisia: Tluman rights abuses in the run up to the WS1S. a copy of which I enclose. We are perturbed to learn of a range of new incidents which follow the pattern described. Last Friday evening, 11 November, Christophc Boltanski, a journalist for the French daily Liberation, was attacked with pepper spray, beaten, stabbed and robbed by four unidentified assailants near the hotel in which he was staying in Tunis. The attack followed the publication, earlier that day, of a report in Liberation in which Mr Boltanski had criticised attacks on Tunisian human rights defenders, notably on Mokhtar Trifi, president of the Tunisian Human Rights League. The Tunisian, authorities have announced that the attack will be investigated. —1 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL I INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT j !j . petai1 Benenson House, 1 Easton Street, London WC1X ODW, united Kingdom Tel: Int. Code: 44 (20) 7413 5500. UK Code: 020 7413 5500. Fax: Int. Code: 44 (20) 7956 1157. UK Cods: 020 7956 1157. E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.ahnnesty.org Yesterday morning, 15 November, dozens of plait) clothes police officers surrounded the Goethe Institute in Tunis to prevent a meeting of Tunisian and international civil society organizations in preparation of a parallel event. Several Tunisian human rights defenders and international observers were reportedly refused access to the building. An eye witness reported that Tunisian human rights defender Radhia Nasraoui was assaulted in her car by dozens of plain clothes policemen when she arrived at the Goethe Institute with two Belgian journalists, one of whom was filming. His camera was seized, and was later returned emptied of film. These latest incidents are one more illustration of the tactics of intimidation used against local human rights defenders and journalists and greatly increase our concern that, contrary to the aims of the WS1S and the values it seeks VO promote, the Tunisian authorities may use the Summit to clamp down even more vigorously on those who seek to defend human tights or speak out about them. We hayejwrittenito President Beni Ali urging him to u^ reaching reform in Tunisia, including by ordering the immediate release of prisonersjpf conscience and by taking measures tcTuphpTd the'rights to freedorrfof expression and association. I enclose a copy of the letter, written before the latest incidents were reported, Considering the latest attacks in Tunis, IjJrge you to _eMrt&JLPo-s-sib.|e influence on the Tunisian government to guarantee the safety of all. those, attending the Surnmitttn.d_te)atedNQQ events and to ensure that they, including Tunisian human rights defenders) are able to carry oirtthetr activities and exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression without fear of interference andjittaeks. We will greatfy appreciate your personal attention to these matters. Yours sincerely, Irene Khan Secretary General AMNESTY IHTtRHATTOIfM. AMNISTIA INTERNACIQNAL AMNISTIE INTERNATIONALE AMHMCTWfl TGMDE 30/2005.04 His Excellency M. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali President of the Republic Palais Presidential Tunis Tunisia 14 November 2005 Your Excellency, I write to urge you to mark the opening of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSlS) in Tunis this week by announcing a series of reform measures in Tunisia. In particular. Amnesty International urges you to take measures to guarantee to all persons in Tunisia the right and the opportunity to "create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge", in accordance with the aims of the Summit as set out in the Declaration of JVineiplcs adopted during the first phase of the WSIS in December 2003. As you must be aware, there is currently wide concern internationally that the WSIS is to be held in Tunis in view of your government's longstanding restriction of Tunisians' rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and its record of harassing and persecuting human rights defenders. There is wide concern too that such restrictions and harassment of peaceful critics of your government and defenders of basic rights have increased further in the run up to the WSIS, and that your government has not shown the level of commitment to internationally-recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms that would make Tunis an appropriate venue for holding the Summit. With the World Summit about to begin, 1 urge you most strongly to take decisive measures to address Tunisia's human rights record and to commit your government to observe in future, both in law and in practice, Tunisia's longstanding obligations to promote and protect human rights. In particular, Amnesty International urges you to: order the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience currently detained without trial or serving prison sentences in Tunisia, including lawyer and human rights defender Mohammed Abbou; repeal or amend all laws that criminalise activities which constitute peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of information, and end practices such as Internet censorship; lift legal and practical restrictions that are currently employed to curb enjoyment of the right to freedom of association and remove obstacles to the formal registration and free functioning of domestic human rights organizations, including the National Council for Liberties in Tunisia, the Tunis Centre for the Independence of the Judiciary, the Internationa] Association for the Support of Political Prisoners and the Association Against Torture in Tunisia; 1 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL l~~ —— INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT Peter Bsnenson House, 1 Easton Street, London WC1X ODW, United Kingdom Tel; 1nt. Code: 44 (20) 7413 5500. UK Code: 020 7413 5500. Fax; Int. Code: 44 (20) 7956 1167. UK Code: 020 7956 1157. E-mail: [email protected] Web; http://www.amnesly.org ensure that all allegations of torture and excessive use of force by security forces, law enforcement agencies or persons acting on Uieir behalf are investigated immediately and independently, and that any officials accused of abusing human rights are promptly brought, to justice. Your Excellency,, we urge you to implement these recommendations with immediate effect. Il would also be most opportune and welcome if at (he opening of the WS1S you were to announce that the Tunisian government is committed to undertaking urgent human rights reforms. Thank you for your attention. Irene Khat) Secretary General [EMBARGOED FOR: 14 November 2005] Public amnesty international Tunisia Human rights abuses in the run up to the WSIS Al Index: MDE 30/019/2005 INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT. 1 EASTON STREET. LONDON WC1X ODW. UNITED KINGDOM [Embargoed for: 14 November 2005] Public amnesty international Tunisia Human rights abuses in the run up to the WSIS Summary Al Index: MDE 30/019/2005 In 2001, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations, selected Tunisia as one of two countries to host the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The first part of the Summit was held in Geneva, Switzerland from 10 to 12 December 2003; the second and concluding part is to be held in Tunis from 16 to 18 November 2005. By agreeing to hold the WSIS in Tunis, the ITU is affording the Tunisian government an opportunity to present a positive image of the country to the outside world. It was hoped that the ITU's choice of Tunisia as a host country would prompt the Tunisian government to allow greater freedom and relax its controls on free speech and peaceful association. This has not occurred. On the contrary, recent months have seen a further tightening of controls and increasing harassment of Tunisian human rights defenders, stifling precisely the rights and freedoms of expression and information which the Summit is intended to promote. Restrictions on freedom of expression, including access to information, and on freedom of association and assembly continue. The Tunisian government continues to fail to observe its obligations to uphold and respect these and other related rights.