Human Rights Watch believes in a report unveiled on July 19, 2023 that Tunisia is “not not a safe place for black african migrants and refugees » and assures that « security forces abuse migrants “. The NGO also calls the European Union [à] suspend support for migration control ” in this country.
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Human Rights Watch denounced Wednesday, July 19, 2023 the signing of a joint agreement between the European Union (EU) and Tunisia on illegal migration. The NGO’s report accuses Tunisia’s security forces – the police, army and national guard including the coast guard – of having committed ” serious abuse in recent months against black African migrants. Abuses that should encourage, insists HRW, the EU to ” stop supporting to this country in the fight against illegal immigration.
” Tunisia must fundamentally reform its policies for migrants »
Among the documented abuses committed by the security forces against migrants are, according to Human Rights Watch: beatings, the use of excessive force, some cases of torture, arbitrary arrests and detentions, collective expulsions, dangerous actions at sea, forced evictions, as well as thefts of money, phones and personal effects.
According to HRW, the Tunisian authorities mistreated African foreigners and the EU, by funding these authorities, shares “ responsibility for the suffering of migrants and refugees and asylum seekers in Tunisia “.
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Ahmed Benchamsi, one of the authors of the report, insists: The European Union has signed an association agreement charging Tunisia to basically monitor the borders for Europe, and even readmit migrants who are rescued at sea. Except that readmit them, where? In Tunisia ? While they are subjected to these appalling abuses? No, this is absolutely not acceptable! Tunisia must first fundamentally reform its policies aimed at migrants. And secondly, the EU must refrain from giving any euro in aid to the Tunisian security services, given the way they behave with these migrants they are supposed to help. »
The EU announced, on July 16, the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Tunisia, relating to a new ” strategic partnership ” and funding of up to one billion euros, for ” border management, […] search and rescue operations, the fight against migrant smuggling and the return policy “. Efforts to, according to HRW, stop illegal migration “.
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