Tunisia’s 2011 revolution promised a successful democratic transition process.
A consensus to address the legacy of human rights issues and systemic corruption under the dictatorship of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali led to establishing the Truth and Dignity Commission and setting in motion a transitional justice process.
In 2014, the Commision was mandated to investigate and arbitrate systemic corruption and human rights violations cases, including torture and extra-judicial killings, and to set a comprehensive framework for reparations.
However, by the end of its mandate the Commission did not succeed in dismantling the corruption systems and repressive practices that sustained human rights abuses. Specialised chambers that have been created since 2016 to prosecute human rights abusers could not issue a single judgment on the cases submitted by the Commission, due to an incomplete legal framework and an unstable political atmosphere.
Political dynamics shifted in 2015 in Tunisia, when late president Beji Caied Essebssi paved the way for the adoption of a reconciliation law that granted immunity to perpetrators of crimes under the dictatorship, thus sabotaging transitional justice efforts.
The year 2021 saw the economic and social crisis deepen further. President Kais Saied took control of executive, legislative and judicial powers and subsequently passed by referendum a new constitution, which removed all references to transitional justice and accountability for past abuses – considered a crucial democratic gain.
The latest political developments in Tunisia have left victims, justice actors and civil society extremely worried about the future, while UN human rights bodies also flag their concerns.
These developments call for victims’ groups, civil society, youth and activists to act to ensure that post-revolution democratic gains are not reversed and transitional justice obligations are respected.
Impunity Watch’s work supports efforts to design strategies to adapt to challenging political contexts in Tunisia and implement community-based initiatives that guarantee memorialisation and non-recurrence of past violations.
