Tunisia: Discrimination and violation of human rights of immigrants

 In a report published by the Human Rights Watch on African refugees in Tunisia, it has reported a large amount of racial discrimination and human rights violations by the authorities and the police executive of this country against immigrants, especially those who come from central Africa.

 This report is the result of this organization's research since 2019 and is focused on interviews with 22 immigrants.

 In general, 22 interviewees have been subjected to human rights violations by the Tunisian authorities.

 According to the report, the severity of human rights violations came after President Qais Saeed in February 2023 ordered security forces to crack down on illegal immigration and linked illegal African migrants to the crime of a "Conspiracy" to change Tunisia's population.

 Qais Saeed's speech, which UN experts called racist, was accompanied by an increase in hatred, discrimination and ethnic and racial attacks.

 15 of the interviewees said that they were abused by the police, the army or the National Guard, including the Tunisian Coast Guard.  They were beaten and given electric shocks by the police during their detention in Tunisia.  Five people have admitted that the authorities confiscated their money and belongings and never returned them.

 Seven interviewees who were deported to border areas in July said they were abandoned in the desert by the military and the National Guard with insufficient food and water.  Meanwhile, some of them were deported to neighboring countries a week later, and others went missing.