Urgent Appeal for Release of Detained Pro-Migrant Activists in Tunisia

Families of jailed Tunisian pro-migrant activists have appealed for their release, asserting that the activists engaged in humanitarian work. FTDES head Romdhane Ben Amor criticized the government for criminalizing their efforts and accused authorities of using the activists’ incarceration to support anti-migrant sentiments. The situation highlights Tunisia’s role as a transit hub and the need for international attention to human rights violations.

The families of ten detained pro-migrant activists in Tunisia, imprisoned since May, have demanded their release during a press conference. Romdhane Ben Amor, the head of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), emphasized that the activists were involved in humanitarian efforts rather than political advocacy. He criticized the authorities for criminalizing their actions aimed at helping migrants and refugees, which he claims are intended to encourage “voluntary returns” facilitated by the UN’s International Organisation for Migration.

Tunisia has emerged as a significant transit point for African migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. President Kais Saied’s comments in 2023, branding sub-Saharan migrants as a demographic threat, have incited a crackdown resulting in the arrests of these activists. Emna Riahi, whose daughter Sherifa Riahi was imprisoned despite a lack of substantial charges, joined others in calling for the activists’ release.

The daughters of Mustapha Djemali, an 80-year-old refugee rights supporter who has experienced severe weight loss in detention, also attended the appeal. Ben Amor accused authorities of using the incarceration of activists to reinforce the president’s anti-migrant stance, while also condemning the “complicit silence” of the European Union and various international organizations regarding these human rights issues.

In summary, the families of detained Tunisian pro-migrant activists have raised urgent calls for their release, highlighting the humanitarian nature of their work. The harsh treatment of these activists reflects a broader governmental crackdown on migrant advocacy, intensified by President Kais Saied’s contentious remarks on migration. There is an evident international responsibility towards this issue, especially concerning the silence of bodies like the European Union.

Original Source: newscentral.africa