FREEDOM AGENDA QUARTERLY REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 001650 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG - HARRIS, NEA/FO, NEA/PI LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2016 TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV KMPI KPAO TS SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA QUARTERLY REPORT REF: A. TUNIS 1565 ¶B. TUNIS 1425 ¶C. TUNIS 1424 ¶D. TUNIS 1402 ¶E. TUNIS 1390 ¶F. TUNIS 1308 ¶G. TUNIS 1255 ¶H. TUNIS 1254 ¶I. TUNIS 1253 ¶J. TUNIS 1252 ¶K. TUNIS 1238 ¶L. TUNIS 1220 ¶M. TUNIS 1204 ¶N. TUNIS 1021 ¶O. TUNIS 816 ¶P. TUNIS 808 Classified By: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM HUDSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The one year anniversary of our Freedom Agenda was marked by increased USG engagement and continued GOT stagnation on political reform. This quarter, post continued its active engagement of the GOT, which was reinforced by Deputy Secretary Zoellick during his May visit and the visit of Deputy Assistant Secretary Gray in June. Positive steps were also taken to increase EU cooperation on Freedom Agenda goals in Tunisia, and civil society activists continued to speak out. Despite these efforts, the GOT did not take any positive steps and reports of civil society harassment and intimidation continued. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) HIGH LEVEL ENGAGEMENT: This quarter was marked by the highest level State Department engagement in Tunisia since the December 2003 visit of former Secretary Powell. During his May 18-19 visit, Deputy Secretary Zoellick recommended reconfiguring a multifaceted dialogue with the GOT to include economic and social reform, human rights, and political reform. The Deputy Secretary also made it clear to the GOT that the "quality of our relationship will depend on moving forward with political reform." Typically sensitive to any criticism, Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali acknowledged that the GOT "made some mistakes", but did not indicate any positive progress on reform would be forthcoming. The Deputy Secretary also met with civil society representatives to encourage their efforts to promote political reform (Refs G,H,I,J). ¶3. (C) NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary Gordon Gray reinforced Zoellick's engagement during his June 27-28 visit to Tunisia. DAS Gray raised our key Freedom Agenda goals with Deputy Foreign Minister for the Americas and Asia, Saida Chtioui, and also discussed our efforts with Tunisian contacts �A;(septels). Additionally, in response to continued GOT harassment of civil society activists, on April 3 the Department issued a statement criticizing these actions and calling on the GOT "to take actions consistent with its declared intentions to engage in democratic reform. Throughout the quarter, post raised USG concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and association with a wide variety of GOT and private interlocutors. For World Press Freedom Day, post organized a successful May 4 DVC for independent journalists with NEA/PPD Director Alberto Fernandez (Ref K). ¶4. (C) Further, the Ambassador and other emboffs raised our Freedom Agenda priorities in a number of meetings with GOT officials and met with a wide variety of civil society activists in support of our Freedom Agenda goals. From attending NGO events to meeting one-on-one with activists facing GOT harassment to discussing our efforts with local journalists, post's support for key civil society entities continued throughout the quarter. For example, Ambassador and poloffs attended LTDH events and met with multiple LTDH officials during the quarter. Emboffs were present at the LTDH court appearance, the Bar Association sit-in, and the national congress of a feminist organization, which further demonstrated our commitment to our Freedom Agenda goals to civil society and the GOT, whose security officials closely monitor all independent civil society activities (see also para 7). ¶5. (C) US/EU COOPERATION: Perhaps in response to the escalation in GOT-civil society conflict, EU interest in cooperation on efforts to encourage democratic and human rights reform grew. On several occasions, EU officials in Tunisia reached out to discuss how to use joint pressure to further shared political goals in Tunisia. The European Commission Head of Delegation and other officials explored with the Ambassador and DCM greater coordination between US and EU human rights messages to the GOT (Refs A,E). DAS Gray met with EU officials in June to follow up on these discussions and the way ahead (septel). ¶6. (C) GOT RECALCITRANCE: While civil society entities appreciated our engagement, the GOT took no positive steps toward political reform. In fact, no progress on Freedom Agenda objectives has been noted, and the quarter was marked by increasing levels of civil society harassment and intimidation (Ref N). On May 27, the GOT violently blocked a proposed National Congress of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH),and prior to the event, the GOT warned diplomats to avoid the area (Ref F). Further, despite post and Washington support for the establishment of an International Republican Institute (IRI) office in Tunisia, the Tunisian Embassy in Washington informed IRI in June that the "relevant Tunisian authorities are not ready to examine IRI's request to establish an office." According to Tunisian human rights activists, the GOT also tried to exert control over the independent Tunisian Bar Association by establishing a new law institute that some lawyers fear would bring entrance into the Bar Association under government control. ¶7. (C) CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISM: Despite increased constraints, Tunisian civil society remained active. In response to the GOT law institute announcement, the Tunisian Bar Association organized a May sit-in despite a heavy police presence and reports of numerous physical and verbal assaults (Ref M). On the margins of a conference held by the Tunisian Association of Deomcratic Women (ATFD),Tunisian civil society also expressed its intention to remain unified to advance political reform goals (Ref C). Meanwhile, in addition to the GOT blockage of its national congress, LTDH officials said they expect the legal deadlock to continue indefinitely (Ref B). ¶8. (C) OUTLOOK: A year into the Freedom Agenda, Tunisia has made little progress on our Freedom Agenda goals. While the GOT tries to give the appearance of a commitment to democracy, the gap continues to widen between our efforts and the GOT's willingness to respond and to work to increase political space. However, the dismissal of a senior Ministry of Interior official may be a sign to domestic and international critics that the heavy-handed GOT response to local activists may be coming to an end (Ref D). While continuing our efforts to advance the Freedom Agenda goals, post also awaits Washington guidance on an action plan for following up on the Deputy Secretary's visit to develop a strategy to further the goals of the Freedom Agenda. HUDSON