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
- Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights
- Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights
- National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists
- Tunisian Association for the Defence of Individual Liberties
- Banna Association for Media and Development
- BAITY association
- Adrar Association for Amazigh Culture in Douirat
- 10-23 Organization to Support the Path of Democratic Transition
- Citizenship, Development, Cultures and Migration Association
- Arts and Cultures Association of the Two Banks
- Civil Solidarity Association
- Tunisia Youth Empowerment Forum
- Democratic Transition and Human Rights Support Center
- The Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia
- Wachm association
- Alkarama (dignity) Association (Victims’ Voice)
- Tunisian Network for Transitional Justice
- Takallam for Freedom of Expression
- Tunisian Association for Positive Prevention
- Vigilance for Democracy and the Civil State
- BAWSALA Association
- Tunisians Federation for Citizenship between the Two Banks
- Tunisian Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
- Tunisian Organization Against Torture (OMCT)
- Union of unemployed certificate holders
- Association to activate the right to be different
- Article 19 organization
- Tunis Center for Press Freedom
- Tunisian Association of Cultural Movement
- Tamakit Association for Amazigh Freedom, Freedom and Culture
- Tunisian Association for the Defence of University Values
- Intersection for Rights and Freedoms
- Vigilance Committee for Democracy in Tunisia, Belgium
- Tunisian union for work for citizenship
- Tunisian association for democratic women
- NACHAZ Association
- Tunisian women association for development research
- The Tunisian association for minorities’ support
- Lawyers without borders
- ASWAT NISSAA
- Minority rights group international
- Volunteers association
- Damj: Tunisian association for justice and equality
- Tunisians in France association
- World organization against torture
- Mawjoudin We Exist
- World association for support of political prisoners
- Joussour association for citizenship (Ajc)
- The Tunisian observatory for detention centres (OTLD)
- Attalaki for liberty and equality
