The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
PRESS RELEASE

Cairo 30/3/2000

Egyptian human rights organizations express their annoyance and worry
for the continuance of the Tunisian authorities in tightening the rope
around the activities of the Tunisian human rights organizations and
their activists in addition to practicing an iron fist policy against
them. This occurs in the context of the practice of grave violations to
the international human rights conventions.


The local, Arab and international public opinion does not need the least
effort to recall several cases of human rights violations in Tunisia. In
this respect, the human rights activists' hunt in Tunisia is very
evident as in the cases of Dr Moncef Al Marzouki, the official spokesman
of the National Tunisian Council for Freedoms, Khamis Kasila , vice
president of the Tunisian Association for Human Rights, Radia Al
Nasrawi, Omar Almestiri and others . This in essence,
contradicts with the oratorical and propagandist embellishments by the
government claiming an improve in the human rights record.


The Egyptian human rights organizations express their concern in the
light of the information obtained on the hunger strike entered by some
Tunisian activists (starting by Seham Bin Sedrin and Fatima Kassila) who
are members of the Tunisian Association for Democratic Women since
28/3/2000. Seham Bin Sedrin and Fatima Kassila decided the hunger strike
to retrieve their passports held by The Tunisian authorities in order to
preclude them from travel. This is considered a clear violation of the
right to move and travel which is one of the principal human rights that
could not be denied. It is also considered a violation to the Tunisian
Constitution itself as well as the citizenship rights and implications.
The danger of the ramifications is further aggravated by the response of
the Tunisian authorities to the strike as it imposed a strict siege to
bar the flow of fellow activists, members of the Tunisian Association
for Democratic women who wanted to show support with Sedrin and kassila
by coming to the association's premises.


Egyptian human rights organizations announce their full support and
solidarity with kassila and Sedrin .They call on all human rights
institutions ,organizations ,associations and activists at the local ,
regional as well as the international levels to show the most level of
solidarity with h the Tunisian Association for the Democratic Women and
the two activists in their legitimate struggle to retain their passports
and be able to freely move and travel. Egyptian human rights
organizations also denounce the arbitrariness and violations committed
by the Tunisian authorities by continuing to violate constitutional
rights and international human rights conventions.


Undersigned By

1-The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights

2-Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

3-Hesham Mubarak Center for Law.

4-The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal
Profession.

5-Al Nadeem Center for the Psychological Management and Rehabilitation.

6-The Human Rights Center for the Assistance of Prisoners.

7-The Egyptian Center for Women's Rights

8-The Group for Democratic Development ( To be dissolved )

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR)
E-maileohr@link.com.eg
Webpagehttp//www.eohr.org.eg
Tel+20-(2)-3636811      +20-(2)-3620467
Fax +20-(2)-3621613

This document is published online by Derechos Human Rights. Derechos works against violations to human rights and humanitarian law all over the world.