Geneva, April 16, 2025 — The Washington Center for Human Rights convened a high-stakes panel today in Geneva titled “Human Rights in Tunisia. Is Tunisia Tyranny Now?” Amid rising concerns over democratic backsliding, the event brought together legal experts and human rights advocates to shed light on Tunisia’s alarming shift from a post-revolution democracy to authoritarian rule.
Moderated by human rights journalist Michele Vespri, the panel featured Matteo Arcuri, a constitutional law scholar, and Luigi Trevisi, a seasoned human rights advisor. Together, they delivered a sobering analysis of the state of civil liberties in Tunisia.
Opening the discussion, Michele Vespri warned:
“What was once a promising democracy is now on the verge of autocracy. In the last year alone, dozens of journalists, judges, and political opponents have been detained without fair trial. Tunisia is no longer in a democratic crisis—it is in democratic collapse.”
Matteo Arcuri cited recent high-profile arrests as emblematic of the authoritarian slide:
“The detention of opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi and the dissolution of Tunisia’s elected parliament were not just legal overreaches—they were deliberate steps toward one-man rule. Since then, President Kais Saied has increasingly ruled by decree, silencing dissent through arbitrary arrests and militarized judiciary.”
Arcuri further condemned the government’s crackdown on the press:
“In 2023 alone, independent news outlets were raided, and journalists like Mohamed Boughalleb were prosecuted simply for criticizing the president. This isn’t governance—it’s repression. Tunisia is treating truth as treason.”
Adding a diplomatic and strategic perspective, Luigi Trevisi urged the international community not to normalize the erosion of rights:
“We cannot afford to label Tunisia as a democracy when peaceful protesters are beaten in the streets, and NGOs are banned from operating freely. In July 2023, peaceful demonstrators in Tunis were met with tear gas and mass arrests—some held incommunicado. If these aren’t signs of tyranny, what are?”
Trevisi continued:
“Human rights defenders, including lawyers and judges, are being charged under vague anti-terrorism laws. This is classic authoritarianism—criminalizing dissent under the pretext of national security.”
The panel concluded with a call to action:
The Washington Center for Human Rights urged multilateral institutions and democratic governments to reevaluate their diplomatic ties and funding to Tunisia unless human rights protections are restored and political prisoners released.
