The law establishing the first National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture in North Africa and the Middle East has how been published on 25 October 2013.
The “National Authority for the Prevention of Torture” law has been published in the Official Gazette of Tunisia as organic law number 2013-43 of 23 October 2013, in Arabic and French.
The adoption of the law through the National Constituent Assembly on 9 October 2013 has been welcomed by international and national NGOs. They have called upon the Tunisian authorities to designate qualified and independent experts to the commission without delay. Civil society wishes to participate in an advisory capacity in this process. The NGOs further call upon the State to provide the necessary resources and support to the National Authority so that it can effectively free Tunisia from the scourge of torture.
A joint press release by the APT, OMCT and 15 other organizations can be found here, and the press release of Human Rights Watch here. The Ligue Tunisienne de droits de l’homme issued statement entitled « Déprivation de liberté n’est pas déprivation de droits» on 21 October 2013.
