Crackdown on Tunisian Human Rights Groups Raises Concerns

A court in Tunisia has mandated a temporary halt to the operations of a leading human rights group, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), which has sparked concerns over the state of civil society in the country. This setback follows a similar suspension enforced on the Tunisian Association for Democratic Women (ATFD).

Romdhan Ben Amor, the spokesperson for FTDES, communicated his concerns to The Associated Press, suggesting that the government's actions are an attempt to redirect attention from mounting domestic issues, particularly public protests in Gabes. Ben Amor emphasized the organization’s compliance with financial transparency standards and hinted that the suspension targets their advocacy on sensitive topics like migration crises and political trials.

FTDES has expressed intentions to legally contest the suspension. These recent restrictions form part of a broader pattern observed since President Kais Saied's power consolidation in 2021, which critics argue is geared towards undermining the potency of civil society by promoting narratives of foreign interference to justify the clampdown.