Tunisia: Harassment of human rights lawyer

Human Rights Defenders
Case TUN 060597

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your urgent
intervention in the following situation in Tunisia.

Brief description of the situation:

The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Tunisia, a member of
the network, has expressed its grave concern over the harrassment and
intimidation of human rights defender and lawyer Radhia Nassraoui.

According to information received, Nassraoui's office was broken into
and ransacked during the night of 29 April 1997.  Her computer was
stolen, her telephone was disconnected, her files were strewn about,
her closets were raided and their contents thrown on the ground.

It has been reported that she was victim of a similar break-in in 1994
in which her fax machine was stolen along with many documents.  A few
months later, her car was stolen in plain daylight from the parking
lot of  well-guarded hotel.  In February 1995 the door to Nassraoui's
apartment was set on fire. It is believed that the fire was meant to
destroy her entire home. Complaints have been made to the authorities.
It would appear that the authorities have failed to take appropriate
action.

It is feared that these acts are related to Nassraoui's legal work in
defence of victims of torture and other grave violations.

OMCT expresses its grave concern for the physical and psychological
integrity of Nassraoui and her family.

Action Requested:
Please write to the Tunisian authorities urging them to

i       guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Radhia
Nassraoui and her family and take appropriate measures to end the
harrassment and intimidation of all human rights defenders;

ii      open an impartial and exhaustive investigation into the events,
identify those responsible, bring them to trial, and apply the penal,
civil, and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;

iii     ensure in all circumstances the full respect of human rights and
fundamental freedoms in accordance with national and international
standards.

Addresses:
M. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Chef de l'Etat, Palais presidentiel de
Carthage, Tunis, Tunisie. Fax : + 216 1 744 721

M. Mohamed Ben Rejeb, Ministre de l'Interieur, Ministere de
l'Interieur, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Tunis, Tunisie. Fax : + 216 1 340
888

M. Abdallah Kallel, Ministre de la Justice, Ministere de la Justice,
Boulevard Bab Benet, Tunis, Tunisie. Fax : + 216 1 568 106/567 070

M. Abderrahim Zouari, Ministre des Affaires Etrangeres, Place du
Gouvernement, La Kasba, Tunis, Tunisie. Fax : + 216 1 567 050


Geneva, 6 May 1997
Kindly inform us of any action taken quoting the exact number of this
appeal in your reply.
Ben Schonveld 
Projects Manager
OMCT-SOS-Torture
Fax 4122 733 1051
Ph  4122 733 3140
OMCT is: l'Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture
         The World Organisation Against Torture

OMCT@IPROLINK.CH
http://www.omct.org/

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.