Tunisia’s recent amendment of its electoral law days to this month’s presidential election undermines the fundamental principles of democracy.
Development Diaries reports that the government amended the electoral law just days beforehand.
It is also understood that the authorities have intensified their crackdown on critics, with mass arrests of political opponents.
According to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), security officers arrested over a hundred members or supporters of the Ennahda, the country’s largest opposition party, between 12 and 13 September.
Amending the electoral law just days before the election, excluding opposition candidates, and arresting political opponents indicate a deliberate attempt to manipulate the political landscape in favour of the current administration.
Also, by stripping the Administrative Court of its authority in electoral matters, the Tunisian government has effectively removed a critical check on abuses, depriving citizens and political actors of meaningful oversight and due process.
It must be said that the mass arrests of political opponents, especially members of the Ennahda party, further highlight the violation of civil and political rights in Tunisia.
Over 170 individuals have been detained on political grounds, many without charge or access to legal representation for extended periods.
This crackdown on dissenting voices is a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression, assembly, and association, which are essential components of any democratic society.
These arrests and detentions under Tunisia’s counter-terrorism law and cybercrime laws serve as tools of repression, silencing political opposition and activists who pose a challenge to the current regime.
Also, the targeting of civil society and media organisations ahead of the election is another alarming dimension of these human rights violations.
Tunisia’s electoral commission has denied accreditation to election observers and targeted media outlets, severely restricting their ability to monitor the election process and report on developments freely.
It is quite unfortunate that the Tunisian authorities are attempting to suppress any critical scrutiny of the electoral process by curtailing the operations of the independent media and civil society organisations, which further erodes public trust in the legitimacy of the election.
The arbitrary arrest and prosecution of presidential candidates on questionable charges is a violation of individual rights and also undermines the citizens’ right to participate in a genuinely competitive political process, as guaranteed under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Tunisia is a party.
In its Freedom in the World Report 2024, Freedom House ranked Tunisia as ‘partly free’, scoring 51 points out of a possible 100.
Development Diaries calls on the Tunisian government to end its crackdown on political opponents, civil society, and media outlets ahead of the presidential election, as this poses a significant threat to the country’s democratic institutions and human rights.
Photo source: Mohamed Hammi/SIPA/Shutterstock
