TUNISIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE RECEPTION BANNED

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000289 SIPDIS NEA/MAG (PATTERSON/HAYES); DRL (JOHNSTONE/KLARMAN) LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS SUBJECT: TUNISIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE RECEPTION BANNED REF: 08 TUNIS 39 Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On May 15, security forces prevented the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH) from holding its annual reception commemorating its anniversary. Several Embassies, including the US, French, Belgian, and Italian Embassies received phone calls from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noting that the reception was "illegal" prior to the event. Police set up checkpoints around LTDH headquarters and prevented guests from attending. LTDH President Mokhtar Trifi opined that pressure on civil society is increasing prior to the 2009 presidential and legislative elections. He added that the LTDH is attempting to organize elections monitoring in conjunction with opposition parties. End Summary. -------------- LTDH Reception Banned -------------- ¶2. (C) The GOT prevented the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH) from holding a reception commemorating its 32nd anniversary on May 15. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called several embassies prior to the reception, including the American, French, Italian and Belgian Missions, to notify them that the event was "illegal." In our case, the Ambassador was called personally by MFA Special Assistant to the Minister and DG for European Affairs Mohamed Lessir, and told he should not attend. The GOT was probably referring to a series of sometimes conflicting court decisions involving the LTDH, which the GOT says prohibit it from hosting meetings or events (reftel). Security forces set up checkpoints around LTDH headquarters and prevented those guests who did attempt to attend from entering the building. According to LTDH President Mokhtar Trifi, only the LTDH Executive Committee was allowed to enter. This represented a break with tradition whereby the GOT had allowed the LTDH to host an annual anniversary reception in prior years. Trifi said he too received a phone call from the Ministry of Interior informing him the LTDH could not hold the reception. He asked for, but did not receive, notification in writing. Had he received written notification, Trifi said he would have challenged the decision in court. ¶3. (C) The LTDH also attempted to host a meeting for visiting officials from the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT). It had invited representatives from several NGOs both registered and unregistered, such as the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and the National Council for Freedom and Labor, but again only the LTDH Executive Committee was allowed to enter. Trifi opined that all civil society groups were under increased pressure because of the upcoming presidential and legislative elections. He noted that in 1994, the LTDH was allowed to field electoral observers, with representatives in polling stations. Trifi said he had asked the MOI for permission to do so again for the 2009 elections, but had yet to receive a response. In the meantime, Trifi said the LTDH was discussing coordination with opposition parties. The LTDH is trying to set up guidelines for election monitoring, and encouraging opposition parties to contact the LTDH in case they observe irregularities. (Note: Under Tunisian law, only opposition parties are allowed to deploy election monitors in polling stations.) Trifi said the LTDH's ultimate goal is to publish a report with its findings after the elections. On May 3, the LTDH tried to host a meeting with journalists to discuss conducting a study on freedom of information in Tunisia. Security forces prevented that meeting from taking place, however. ¶4. (C) Trifi praised the Department's annual Human Rights Report, but expressed skepticism about whether the new U.S. Administration would give democracy promotion the same priority as the previous one. He noted he was looking forward to President Obama's upcoming speech in Egypt for more details as to how the U.S. will approach human rights, democracy, and the Middle East Peace Process in the future. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The legal quagmire surrounding the LTDH means it is unlikely the GOT will allow it to participate in election monitoring. The independent opposition parties that might be inclined to cooperate with the LTDH (the Progressive Democratic Party, the Democratic Forum for Freedom and Labor, and possibly at-Tajdid) do not have sufficient personnel to engage in comprehensive election monitoring. Still, the LTDH is the only Tunisian civil society group attempting to coordinate and establish elections monitoring standards. Its report, should it manage to compile one, would be a useful counterpoint to the electoral report published by the GOT-appointed electoral observation body. End Comment. Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm Godec