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Souleiman bouhafs case: Tunisia breaches its international obligations to protect refugees again.

After the signatory organizations were  informed of the disappearance of the political activist Souleiman bouhafs (54 years old) in Tunisia under mysterious circumstances, eyewitnesses reported that cars with unknown plates came on August 25 to the house where the Algerian activist lives and took him to an unknown destination. On Sunday, Algerian media websites announced that Souleiman Bouhafs was handed over by the Tunisian authorities to their Algerian counterpart, where he will be presented before the Algerian judiciary.

Souleiman Bouhafs came to Tunisia, where the High Commissioner for Refugees granted him a refugee status under the number 255-15C0059, valid until September 2022. The international protection that Souleiman Buhafs obtained imposes on the Tunisian authorities, which are signatories to the 1951 Geneva Convention and its 1967 Protocol and the 1984 Convention against Torture, not to hand him over oppressively.

The signatory organizations:

  • Expresses its indignation at the dangerous precedent set by the Tunisian state of handing over a refugee benefiting from an international protection to the authorities of his country, which are prosecuting him because of his political positions and demanding that they provide clarifications to the public opinion.
  • It calls on the Tunisian state to respect its international commitments in these delicate circumstances and to ensure the protection of human rights and the rights of refugees.
  • It considers that establishing friendly relations with a friendly country should not be at the expense of respecting international obligations that protect refugees and asylum seekers and respecting the principle of non-refoulement and non-extradition.

Signatory organizations

  1. Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights
  2. Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights
  3. National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists
  4. Tunisian Association for the Defence of Individual Liberties
  5. Banna Association for Media and Development
  6. BAITY association
  7. Adrar Association for Amazigh Culture in Douirat
  8. 10-23 Organization to Support the Path of Democratic Transition
  9. Citizenship, Development, Cultures and Migration Association
  10. Arts and Cultures Association of the Two Banks
  11. Civil Solidarity Association
  12. Tunisia Youth Empowerment Forum
  13. Democratic Transition and Human Rights Support Center
  14. The Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia
  15. Wachm association
  16. Alkarama (dignity) Association (Victims’ Voice)
  17. Tunisian Network for Transitional Justice
  18. Takallam for Freedom of Expression
  19. Tunisian Association for Positive Prevention
  20. Vigilance for Democracy and the Civil State
  21. BAWSALA Association
  22. Tunisians Federation for Citizenship between the Two Banks
  23. Tunisian Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
  24. Tunisian Organization Against Torture (OMCT)
  25. Union of unemployed certificate holders
  26. Association to activate the right to be different
  27. Article 19 organization
  28. Tunis Center for Press Freedom
  29. Tunisian Association of Cultural Movement
  30. Tamakit Association for Amazigh Freedom, Freedom and Culture
  31. Tunisian Association for the Defence of University Values
  32. Intersection for Rights and Freedoms
  33. Vigilance Committee for Democracy in Tunisia, Belgium
  34. Tunisian union for work for citizenship
  35. Tunisian association for democratic women
  36. NACHAZ Association
  37. Tunisian women association for development research
  38. The Tunisian association for minorities’ support
  39. Lawyers without borders
  40. ASWAT NISSAA
  41. Minority rights group international
  42. Volunteers  association
  43. Damj: Tunisian association for justice and equality
  44. Tunisians in France association
  45. World organization against torture
  46. Mawjoudin We Exist
  47. World association for support of political prisoners
  48. Joussour association for citizenship (Ajc)
  49. The Tunisian observatory for detention centres (OTLD)
  50. Attalaki for liberty and equality

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