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Status Update – Mohamed Boughalleb

As part of the Freedom Observatory of Tunisia’s monitoring of the conditions of political detainees in the country, the Observatory expresses its deep concern over the deteriorating health condition of journalist Mohamed Boughalleb, who has been in prison since March 2024. Information from his family and lawyer indicate that his health condition has become critical and threatens his life, which requires urgent intervention to guarantee his right to treatment.

Mohamed Boughalleb’s Health Condition

Journalist Mohamed Boughalleb suffers from chronic diseases, most notably diabetes and high blood pressure, which have worsened significantly since his arrest. According to his family’s statements, he has lost sight in one eye, while his vision in the other eye has become very limited. In addition, Boughalleb has suffered serious complications including an enlarged heart and a prostate injury, diseases he did not suffer from before his imprisonment. The harsh health conditions inside prison and the lack of adequate medical care have contributed to the significant deterioration of his condition.

Legal and Human Rights Responsibility

The Freedom Observatory for Tunisia holds the Tunisian authorities, especially the Ministry of Justice, the General Administration of Prisons and Reform, and the Presidency of the Republic fully responsible for the deterioration of Mohamed Boughalleb’s health, and calls on them to:

  • Provide urgent and comprehensive medical care for Mohamed Boughalleb inside or outside prison, as required by his health condition.
  • Conduct an independent investigation into the conditions of his detention and the extent to which health and humanitarian standards are respected inside prisons.
  • Release him immediately if it is proven that his health condition is not compatible with the conditions of detention.

The Observatory's Demands

The Freedom for Tunisia Observatory stresses that the deterioration of Mohamed Boughalleb’s health reflects deeper problems related to the lack of health care for detainees, especially political detainees. Accordingly, the Observatory demands:

  • Intervention by international human rights organizations to follow up on his case and ensure that he obtains his basic rights.
  • That the Presidency of the Republic and the judiciary assume their responsibilities to ensure that detention is not used as a means to deprive detainees of their rights.

Message of Solidarity and Call for Action

The Freedom Observatory for Tunisia expresses its full solidarity with Mohamed Boughalleb and his family, and calls on all civil society organizations and human rights bodies to engage in an urgent campaign to save his life, and to ensure that these practices against prisoners of conscience in Tunisia are not repeated.

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Call to Action

Website petition: Freedom for prisoners of conscience and activists in Tunisia!

Tunisia is no longer the Arab exception that inspired the world in 2011 with a heroic revolution that overthrew the rule of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who ruled for nearly 23 years after seizing power on November 7, 1987, in a coup against Habib Bourguiba.

In a similar and perhaps more dangerous move, on the night of July 25, 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied carried out a “constitutional coup” in accordance with his personal interpretation of Article 80 of the 2014 Revolutionary Constitution, announcing that he had taken a set of exceptional measures due to the “imminent danger” that threatens Tunisia without providing any details or reasons.

In accordance with these measures, Saied dismissed the government and the prime minister Hichem Mechichi who was present at the National Security Council that night at the Carthage Palace, and claimed that he had contacted the Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi (leader of the Ennahdha party) to consult with him in accordance with what is stipulated by the constitution, a claim which Ghannouchi denied since the call was general and did not include anything about exceptional measures or any consultation on the matter. The president suspended Parliament and later dissolved it in March 2022.

Not only did Saied seek to bypass his powers and the articles of the Constitution, which he swore to protect before the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, but he went on to dismiss and change the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council after redefining the judiciary it as a “function” rather than an independent authority. He further replaced members of the Supreme Electoral Commission in preparation for the referendum he held in order to vote on a constitution that he wrote himself after dismissing the proposals of the drafting committee he had himself appointed. Then legislative elections were held over two rounds, in which the participation rate did not exceed 8% of the total number of voters, with the Election Commission later announcing that it had reached 11%, which is the lowest participation rate in Tunisia and globally.

On February 11, President Saied’s regime launched a campaign of protests that has not stopped since, against political leaders, media figures, journalists, judges and senior officials and civil servants, for charges of “conspiring against the security of the state and committing an offensive act against the President of the Republic,” in addition to other charges that were referred to the military prosecution, leading one to wonder about the implication of the Tunisian army in the actions taken by Saied.

The arbitrary arrests were marred by several procedural violations amid criticism from prominent international organizations and observatories in the field of human rights. The standards of litigation and detention period and conditions were not respected. Prosecution and harassment sometimes extended to the detainees’ families, and no evidence, and in many cases, no charges against them were presented.

Moreover trade unions and political parties continue to be subjected to constant harassment and restrictions. Saied continues to target all “intermediary bodies” accusing them of “collaboration” or “treason”. Civil society associations have also been subjected to prosecution, arbitrary arrests and deprivation from representation, in a context of of increasing violence in society due to the authorities’ adoption of racist and discriminatory speeches and rhetoric inciting infighting and violating human dignity.

In light of the above, we, the undersigned, demand the following:

Call for the immediate release of all political detainees, immediately and unconditionally. We also urge the Tunisian authorities to recognize the national and the international human rights treaties they have ratified.
Call on the Tunisian authorities to stop dismantling the nascent democracy and put an end to unfair trials and prosecutions against political opponents of the regime and anyone who criticises it.
Call on all activists and observers to join the national movement for restoring democracy and ending authoritarian rule that has taken Tunisia back to despotism, injustice, and violations of rights and freedoms.