Skip links

Family Home of Elyes Chaouachi Raided: A New Security Escalation Targets Families of Opposition Leaders

On Monday, April 26, a security unit raided the family home of political activist Elyes Chaouachi, son of political prisoner and former minister Ghazi Chaouachi. This move raises questions about the continued targeting of political opponents under the pretext of investigating “terrorist” cases.

According to available information, the raid was conducted by three security officers, two in civilian clothes and the third in uniform. They inquired about Chaouachi’s whereabouts, despite his having resided abroad for years. This move sparked panic among the family, especially given that only his mother and sister were present, without providing any judicial authorization or legal document justifying the action.

In public statements, Chaouachi described this move as a “form of intimidation,” asserting that it comes in the context of the third case opened against him, but the first involving terrorism charges. He considered his targeting to be part of a systematic campaign against political and human rights elites, citing several similar cases involving opposition political figures such as Abdellatif Mekki, Ayachi Hammami, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, and Abderrazak Kilani.

Freedom for Tunisia Observatory Condemns Collective Punishment Policy

The Freedom for Tunisia Observatory expresses deep concern about the practice of raiding homes without a judicial warrant, especially when the aim is to put psychological pressure on family members or instill fear among those close to the opposition. It also warns against the widespread use of terrorism-related charges to criminalize political expression or punish families.

The Observatory calls for:

  • Respect for the sanctity of homes and an end to all forms of security pressure outside of legal frameworks.
  • An independent investigation into the practice of unjustified raids.
  • Ending the targeting of activists’ families in political and security-related conflicts.
  • Respecting the principle of individual responsibility and punishment, and ending the policy of collective intimidation.

The continuation of these practices not only threatens individual freedoms, but also deepens divisions and undermines the foundations of trust in judicial and security institutions.

Share

More Posts

عربية
Français
Icon-x Facebook Instagram Tiktok Youtube

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.