Human Rights Leader On Trial

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 5 February 1998, Khemais Ksila, vice-President of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), will be tried on criminal charges because he announced that he would go on hunger strike after the Tunisian authorities had him dismissed from his job and confiscated his passport. Mr Ksila was arrested on 29 September 1997 […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 5 February 1998, Khemais Ksila, vice-President of
the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), will be tried on criminal charges
because he announced that he would go on hunger strike after the Tunisian
authorities had him dismissed from his job and confiscated his passport. Mr
Ksila was arrested on 29 September 1997 after he released a communique in
which he declared that he decided to start a hunger strike in protest
against the Tunisian authorities’ measures against him.

According to Said Essoulami, Head of Article 19’s Middle East and North
Africa Programme, “these arbitrary measures are a grave violation of Mr
Ksila’s right to freedom of expression as guaranteed and protected by the
International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights ratified by Tunisia as
well as under the Tunisian Constitution. They were taken with the objective
to force Mr Ksila to renounce his legitimate human rights work. What is on
trial is the right to freedom of expression in Tunisia. The government
objective is to silence every independent and critical voice and at the same
time to portray in the West an image of a democratic and a safe country for
tourists and investors. International public opinion is not duped, the
government policy is unmasked.”

Recommended Action

His Excellency Zine El Abidine Ben Ali

President of the Republic of Tunisia

Presidential Palace

Tunis, Tunisia

Fax: +216 1 744 721

M. Abdallah Kallel

Ministre de la Justice

Ministere de la Justice

Boulevard Bab Benat

Tunis, Tunisia

Fax: +216 1 568 106
M. Mohamed Jegham

Ministre de l’Interieur

Ministere de l’Interieur

Av. Habib Bourguiba

Tunis, Tunisia

Fax: +216 1 340 888
Tunisian Human Rights League:

Me Taoufik Bouderbala, President

Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l’Homme, LTDH

21 Rue Imam el Bakri

1002 Tunis Belvedere

Tunisia