MOHAMED ABBOU PREVENTED FROM TRAVELING FOR THE 6TH

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000126 SIPDIS NEA/MAG (PATTERSON/HAYES); DRL (JOHNSTONE/KLARMAN) LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS SUBJECT: MOHAMED ABBOU PREVENTED FROM TRAVELING FOR THE 6TH TIME REF: A. 07 TUNIS 1355 ¶B. 07 TUNIS 1044 Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On March 3, security forces prevented human rights activist Mohamed Abbou from traveling to the United Kingdom (UK) and Holland. This marks the sixth time since Abbou's release from prison in 2007 that authorities have prevented him from leaving the country. Abbou was to have met officially with the Dutch government while in Holland, and the Dutch Ambassador in Tunisia discussed the matter with the GOT. End Summary. -------------- No Travel for Abbou -------------- ¶2. (C) Lawyer and blogger Mohamed Abbou tried to leave Tunisia March 3 to attend an Amnesty International conference on terrorism, security, and human rights in the UK. He also planned to stop in Holland en route at the invitation of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Abbou told PolOff on March 4 that he was blocked by airport security at a passport control point. The officials did not provide an explanation, but told him he was not allowed to travel. He told PolOff he would continue to attempt to travel, but assumed the prohibition on his leaving the country would continue. -------------- -- Despite the Term of His Sentence Having Expired -------------- -- ¶3. (C) Abbou had been sentenced to three and a half years in prison on April 28, 2005 for defamation of the judicial system and assault. He was convicted shortly after posting articles online criticizing Tunisia's prisons. He was released early on July 24, 2007 (Ref B). Had Abbou served his entire sentence, he would have been released in October ¶2008. In August 2007, GOT officials told Abbou that he was subject to travel restrictions until the term of his original sentence expired, and that he must prove that he is no longer subject to a travel ban. ¶4. (C) Abbou said he lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Justice several months ago arguing that the terms of his release did not include travel restrictions. Even if the GOT chose to uphold a travel ban, he opined, his original sentence, and thus the travel ban, would have ended in October 2008. Abbou told PolOff that he has not received and does not expect a response to his complaint. March 3 marks Abbou's sixth attempt to travel since his release; his prior attempt was on December 10, 2008 as he was trying to board a flight to Beirut for the Independent Arab Press Forum. ¶5. (C) Dutch Ambassador to Tunisia Rita Dulci Rahman told the Ambassador on March 3 that she had discussed the issue of Abbou's travel with MFA Director General for European Affairs Mohamed Lessir. According to Rahman, Lessir strongly objected to the Dutch government's having invited Abbou for an official meeting. She added that the Foreign Minister has requested a meeting with her, presumably to underscore the GOT's displeasure over the Dutch invitation. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) The GOT continues to impose significant restrictions on Mohammad Abbou's travel. While Abbou would certainly criticize the GOT if he were permitted to travel abroad, the GOT's actions are drawing at least as much attention as would Abbou's words. Moreover, Abbou has been able to voice his opinions (e.g., on al Jazeera) despite the GOT's travel ban. Although we do not know for certain the reasons for the GOT's continued restrictions on Abbou, they may be related to the GOT's continuing sensitivity to criticism in the run up to the presidential and legislative elections. ¶7. (C) The invitation by the Dutch government introduces a new dynamic into the situation that may push the GOT further toward lifting the travel restriction, although pressure from the Dutch alone is unlikely to be sufficient. We will stay in close touch with the Dutch embassy on its efforts, and if the travel ban is not lifted encourage the Dutch ambassador to raise Abbou's status with her EU colleagues. A collective intervention by the EU (or even a portion of the EU),perhaps together with the United States, might well have greater effect. End Comment. Godec