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Due to His Chronic Illness, Security Forces Arrest Wife of Political Activist Rafik Ouni Instead of Him

In an incident that reflects the continued targeting of activists in Tunisia, a heavily armed security force headed to the home of political activist and leader of the Reform Front Rafik Ouni on Friday, January 3, 2024, with the aim of arresting him. However, the critical health condition of Al-Aouni, who has been bedridden for months due to cancer and other chronic diseases, prompted the security force to take his wife Wassila Jebali to the detention center without giving any clear reasons.

Incident details

According to informed sources, the security force stormed the home of political activist Rafik Ouni with the aim of executing an arrest warrant against him. However, due to his critical health condition and his inability to move or even respond, the security force decided to arrest his wife Wassila Al-Jabali, a retired teacher who is considered the sole caregiver for her husband in light of his deteriorating health condition.

Political activist Rafik Ouni

Rafik Al-Ouni is a well-known political figure in the struggle against the Ben Ali regime. He spent more than twenty years in prison due to his opposition political activism. The medical neglect he suffered during his detention led to the deterioration of his health and chronic illnesses, most notably cancer, which made him unable to care for himself, relying entirely on his wife for daily care.

Wife released after a wide solidarity campaign

The incident sparked a wave of criticism in human rights circles, which prompted the launch of a wide solidarity campaign on social media. Wassila Jebali was released hours after being detained, amidst major questions about the motives for this unjustified security measure.

Freedom for Tunisia Observatory comment

The Freedom for Tunisia Observatory believes that this incident represents a serious deviation in the way the security services deal with humanitarian cases, especially in light of Rafik Ouni’s deteriorating health condition. The Observatory stresses that targeting family members of political opponents is an illegal and unethical practice.

Observatory Call

  • The Observatory calls for an end to any arbitrary prosecutions against activist Rafiq Al-Ouni and his family members.
  • The Observatory demands the necessity of ensuring Al-Ouni’s right to urgent and appropriate medical care in view of his deteriorating health condition.
  • It stresses the importance of respecting international human rights standards and not using detention as a means of pressure or abuse of families.

In light of these developments, this painful scene remains a stark reflection of the human rights crisis in Tunisia, and an urgent need to reconsider dealing with humanitarian issues away from any political or retaliatory calculations.

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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.