Tunisia 2020 Crime & Safety Report This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Tunisia. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s Tunisia country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Travel Advisory The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Tunisia at Level 2, indicating travelers should exercise increased caution due to terrorism. Do not travel to within 30 km of southeastern Tunisia along the border with Libya; mountainous areas in the country’s west, Kasserine, including the Chaambi Mountain National Park area; Jendouba south of Ain Drahem and west of RN15, El Kef, and next to the Algerian border; or Sidi Bou Zid and Gafsa in central Tunisia due to terrorism. Do not travel to the desert south of Remada due to the military zone. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Overall Crime and Safety Situation Crime Threats The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tunis as being a LOW-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Reliable crime statistics are difficult to obtain, but violent crime involving the use of firearms (e.g. assault, homicide, armed robbery) is rare. Violent and nonviolent crime (e.g. personal robberies, residential break-ins, financial scams, vehicle thefts, petty drug offenses) occurs in Tunis and other large/tourist cities. Homicides and sexual assaults occur throughout Tunisia, more often in rural areas and impoverished neighborhoods. Violence is often associated with soccer matches, to include vandalism and physical assaults of police, security forces and rival fans. Most reported criminal incidents against foreigners are crimes of opportunity (e.g. pickpocketing, purse/phone snatching, petty theft). The selection of foreigners as targets tends to focus on those who appear unfamiliar with their surroundings or who dress expensively, wear Western-style clothing, or draw attention to themselves by not speaking the local language. There have been cases of young men on motor scooters targeting Western-looking females and attempting to snatch valuables during both day and night. Snatch-and-run tactics include speeding by an unsuspecting pedestrian on a scooter and grabbing a dangling purse. Use extra caution in high traffic tourist areas (e.g. Tunis Medina, central market area, and the medinas of other large cities). Review OSAC’s report, All That You Should Leave Behind. More serious crimes, such as armed robbery, do occur, but much less often; these typically involve a knife or machete rather than a gun. If an assailant displaying a lethal weapon or threatening violence confronts you, attempt to de-escalate the situation by immediately turning over your valuables. Incidents of assault, vehicle theft, and vehicle break-in have occurred against both Tunisians and foreigners. The area of West Le Kram in Tunis is particularly well-known for theft. 1 In 2018 and 2019, residential burglaries occurred in areas of Tunis popular with expatriates. Most residential burglaries occur during the day, when people are at work, and happen in both expatriate and Tunisian neighborhoods. Burglaries also occur at night, when there are obvious signs that no one is home; burglaries while occupants are home do occur. Most home burglars are young males (ages 17-25) looking for small, expensive items they can convert to cash easily. Although burglaries may seem like a random occurrence, they involve a selection process. Burglars are likely to choose an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and the best escape routes. If you give a key to domestic staff, consider using secondary locks. Discourage children from answering the door/gate, and do not open the door/gate until you have identified the visitor. Instruct domestic staff and dependents to do the same, and to report any unusual activity. Inspect your home periodically to identify vulnerabilities or inoperative security features. The U.S. Government provides well-secured residences for its employees. Review OSAC’s reports, Hotels: The Inns and Outs and Considerations for Hotel Security. Tunisia is largely a cash-based economy. Credit cards are gaining acceptance at establishments in larger tourist cities, and there are ATMs in many places in the capital. There have been muggings at ATMs. Protect your PIN. Try to use an ATM attached to a bank branch. Even though the Embassy has not seen a high level of credit card fraud among U.S. citizens, authorities report numerous financial scams. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit. Be aware of distraction techniques (e.g. a staged fight or an intentional bump). Be wary of unsolicited offers of assistance, and refuse offers that sound too good to be true. Foreigners living in Tunisia have reported that Tunisian men have rung their doorbells claiming to be neighbors who have locked themselves out of their houses and need cab fare to get a spare key. Travel in groups, especially in remote areas during nighttime hours. Women face no specific dress restrictions, but conservative clothing helps avoid attracting undue attention or harassment. If someone approaches you claiming to be a police officer, ask for identification and be vigilant. Cybersecurity Issues Tunisian men have been known to target U.S. women online in communications that often turn romantic and result in an invitation to travel to Tunisia. Single women 40 years and older are typical targets. The Tunisian man is usually in his 20s. Once in Tunisia, a common scenario involves the man and his family pressuring the U.S. national into marriage. His goal is to then have the target submit a petition for his immigrant visa. Maintain caution if traveling to Tunisia to meet someone you have met online. Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones: Critical or Contraband? Transportation-Safety Situation Road Safety and Road Conditions Road safety poses one of the greatest risks to foreign travelers. According to the Tunisian National Road Safety Observatory, there were more than 6,700 recorded traffic accidents, approximately 1,421 traffic- related deaths, and well over 10,000 injuries in 2017. These figures illustrate the need for awareness of the neighborhoods, local traffic patterns, and road culture before self-driving. Drivers will likely encounter road conditions, driving patterns, traffic laws, and signs different from those with which they are familiar. 2 Local drivers often fail to obey traffic signs/signals, drive on the wrong side of the road, and go against the flow of traffic. Locals use the road shoulders or turning lanes to pass, or ignore traffic lane markings. Do not assume that pedestrians are aware of oncoming traffic or that other vehicles will give them the right of way, even at a designated pedestrian crossing. Bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles operate without sufficient lights/reflectors, making them difficult to see as they dart in/out of traffic. Refrain from using mobile phones while driving. Keep vehicle windows closed and doors locked, and conceal any valuables. There are generally uniformed police officers at major intersections in major cities. Police officers may stop drivers for inspection; drivers should comply. Police pay particular attention to rental cars (all rental cars have blue license plates), which they stop frequently. Police may take drivers involved in a motor accident that results in death or serious injury into protective custody until they determine responsibility. This can mean spending days to months in detention. Drivers involved in traffic accidents not involving injury to an individual must file an accident form; the form, usually issued by the insurance company, is in the glove compartment of rental cars. On the form, both drivers must document driver and vehicle information, and how the accident occurred (each driver may write a statement); both drivers must sign the form, but should not admit guilt. Drivers involved in accidents may go to the traffic police station if they need help or if there is a disagreement. Return the form to the insurance company within 48 hours. Drivers involved in traffic accidents involving injury to individuals must notify police, and all drivers involved must not leave the scene before the police finish the investigation. A driver who decides to leave the scene due to safety concerns must report to the closest police station. Avoid driving after dark outside the greater Tunis area or major resort areas. Many roads lack proper maintenance and lighting, may have unmarked community installed speed bumps, and lack sound infrastructure. Even well-traveled routes are subject to blowing sands that can create hazards. Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad, Driving Overseas: Best Practices, and Evasive Driving Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving and road safety abroad. Travel in desert areas presents additional challenges. Persons driving off the major paved roads should ensure their vehicles are appropriate for off-road driving conditions and have appropriate spares/supplies (e.g. water, food). Groups should travel in caravans of multiple vehicles. Desert regions are subject to extreme temperatures, from sub-freezing evenings in the winter to dangerously hot days in the summer. In addition, many areas in the southern desert regions have little or no cellular telephone service. The Tunisian National Guard requires those traveling into the desert areas south of Tataouine to register travel plans beforehand and obtain a “desert pass” for access.