TUNISIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE ISSUES

UNCLAS TUNIS 002527

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG (EHOPKINS AND MHARRIS) AND DRL
NSC/NESA
NEA/PPD (AFERNANDEZ AND DFOLEY)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL KPAO TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE ISSUES
COMMUNIQUE

REF: TUNIS 2501


1. The Bizerte Chapter of the Tunisian Human Rights
League (LTDH) on October 6 issued a communique
protesting the forcible blocking by plain-clothes
police of a meeting the previous day between U.S.
Embassy officials and members of the Bizerte LTDH
branch (reftel). An informal English translation of
the statement, which was released in Arabic and
disseminated on tunisnews.net, follows.


2. Begin Text of LTDH - Bizerte Communique:
Tunisian Human Rights League -- Bizerte chapter
Bizerte, October 6, 2006
Communique

The steering committee of the Tunisian Human Rights
League Bizerte chapter announces that on Thursday,
October 5, 2006, the security forces banned the
committees meeting with three American diplomats, led
by the Political Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy
in Tunis, who had requested a meeting with the
committee during a visit to Bizerte.

Upon the arrival of the diplomatic car, security
forces in plain clothes arrived in great numbers and
prevented the committee members and the diplomats from
entering the Leagues headquarters.

The Bizerte chapters committee informs Tunisian
public opinion of the above incident and would like to
stress the following points:

-- The committee rejects the repressive methods of
banning the meetings and the activities of the chapter
in Bizerte and of all the other Leagues chapters.

-- The absence of any legal justification for such
aggressive methods confirmed the repressive policy
adopted by the Government against the League. A policy
in obvious violation of the law and the constitution
particularly since the banning decision occurs, every
ery
time, verbally and the security forces never present a
written document to justify their action legally.

-- The committee remains convinced of the legality of
the present Leagues national steering committee and
of our right, as members of the League, to hold our
6th congress away from the Governments efforts to
impose submission and containment on our organization.

-- The committee reiterates its determination to carry
on its activities as stipulated by the Leagues
internal regulations and international human rights
conventions. The committee will continue to defend
human rights and uncover the constant violations in
this field that the Tunisian authorities are trying to
hide by imposing repression against the League and all
other independent human rights organizations in
Tunisia.

For the committee, Ali Be Salem, President.
End Text.
BALLARD
RD