Tunisia - March 2025

On 7 March, the government announced its decision to withdraw its declaration under Article 34(6) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, which previously allowed individuals and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to bring cases directly before the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights. This move means that, starting in March 2026, individuals and NGOs will no longer have the right to file cases against the state before the Court, limiting their available avenues for seeking justice for human rights violations. The government did not provide an official rationale for this decision, which has been met with criticism from human rights and civil society groups. In recent years, the Court had ruled on several cases involving Tunisia, including a 2023 case in which it ordered provisional measures for medical care and legal representation for four detained opposition figures. The ruling, however, is yet to be implemented by the government. 

Sources: Tunisia’s Permanent Mission to the African Union, Centre pour le Respect des Libertes et des Droits de l’Homme en Tunisie, Human Rights Watch, African Court on Human and People’s Rights, Temple Garden Chambers