What's happened
Amnesty International has documented widespread human rights abuses against migrants in Tunisia, including torture, racial profiling, and forced expulsions. The report criticizes the Tunisian government and EU cooperation, highlighting increased xenophobia and restrictions on refugee aid amid political upheaval since President Kais Saied's 2021 power grab.
What's behind the headline?
The recent Amnesty report exposes a troubling escalation in Tunisia's treatment of migrants, revealing a pattern of racially motivated violence, torture, and unlawful expulsions. The government's narrative, fueled by Saied's accusations of 'illegal migrants' plotting demographic change, has legitimized xenophobic violence and led to a crackdown on civil society. The EU's cooperation, aimed at curbing migration, effectively offshores border enforcement but at the cost of human rights, risking complicity in abuses. This situation underscores how political instability and populist rhetoric can erode refugee protections, turning Tunisia into a site of systemic abuse rather than safe transit. The international community's response, including calls for suspension of cooperation, signals a recognition that current policies threaten both regional stability and human rights standards. The next steps will likely involve increased pressure on Tunisia and the EU to reform border policies and restore protections for vulnerable populations, but entrenched political agendas may hinder meaningful change.
What the papers say
All Africa reports on Amnesty International's findings, highlighting the documented abuses and the political context in Tunisia. The New Arab emphasizes the suspension of NGOs and the repression of civil society, framing it as part of Saied's broader authoritarian shift. Both sources critique the EU's role, with All Africa condemning the partnership that risks complicity in human rights violations, and The New Arab detailing the crackdown on NGOs and the suppression of dissent. These contrasting perspectives underscore the complex interplay between domestic repression and international migration policies, illustrating how political agendas influence refugee treatment and regional stability.
How we got here
Since President Kais Saied's 2021 power consolidation, Tunisia has seen a decline in civil liberties and increased repression of NGOs. The country is a key transit point for migrants seeking Europe, but recent policies have led to mass expulsions and systemic abuses, driven by government rhetoric linking migrants to crime and demographic change. The EU's partnership with Tunisia has faced criticism for enabling border enforcement that disregards human rights.
Go deeper
More on these topics
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Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa, covering 163,610 square kilometres. Its northernmost point, Cape Angela, is also the northernmost point on the African continent.
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Kais Saied is a Tunisian politician, jurist and former lecturer serving as the fifth President of Tunisia since October 2019. He was president of the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law from 1995 to 2019.
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Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization with its headquarters in the United Kingdom focused on human rights. The organization says it has more than eight million members and supporters around the world.