{"id":16928,"date":"2007-10-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2007-10-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/4-octobre-2007\/"},"modified":"2007-10-04T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2007-10-04T00:00:00","slug":"4-octobre-2007","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/4-octobre-2007\/","title":{"rendered":"4 octobre 2007"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><html><head><meta content=\"text\/html\" description=\"ARTICLE 19 et \n      les autres membres du Groupe d'observation de la Tunisie (TMG) condamnent \n      la d\u00e9cision de justice du 1er octobre 2007 visant \u00e0 expulser de leurs \n      locaux le Parti D\u00e9mocrate Progressiste (PDP), un parti politique \n      d'opposition reconnu, et &quot;El-Mawkef&quot;, le journal officiel du PDP. Cela \n      faisait presque 13 ans que le journal hebdomadaire \u00e9tait dans ces locaux \n      o\u00f9 il a d\u00fb subir un harc\u00e8lement r\u00e9p\u00e9titif et fr\u00e9quent de la part des \n      autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes. \" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\/><\/head><body><body><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\" dir=\"ltr\"><b><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tunisnews.net\"><span>Home<\/span><span lang=\"FR-CH\"> &#8211; Accueil <\/span><span>&#8211;<\/span><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<div> <font face=\"Arial\" size=\"2\"> <\/p>\n<div>     \u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">  <\/div>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"> <\/p>\n<div align=\"center\" dir=\"ltr\"> <font face=\"Arial\"><font size=\"2\"> <span lang=\"SV\"> <strong>TUNISNEWS<\/strong><\/span> <\/font><\/font> <\/div>\n<div align=\"center\" dir=\"ltr\"> <strong><font size=\"2\">8\u00a0\u00e8me\u00a0ann\u00e9e, <span lang=\"FR\">        N\u00b0\u00a02691 du 04.10.2007<\/span><\/font><\/strong><\/div>\n<p> <strong> <\/p>\n<div align=\"center\" dir=\"ltr\"> <b><span><blink> <font size=\"2\">\u00a0archives : <\/font> <a href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><font size=\"2\" target=\"_blank\">        www.tunisnews.net<\/font><\/a><\/blink><\/span><\/b><font size=\"2\"> <\/font> <\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<p> <font size=\"2\"> <span lang=\"FR\"> <font size=\"2\"> <span lang=\"FR-CH\"> <font size=\"2\"><\/p>\n<p><font> <span lang=\"SV\"> <font size=\"2\"><\/p>\n<p><font> <span lang=\"FR-CH\"><\/p>\n<p><font> <span lang=\"FR\"><font> <\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"> <span lang=\"SV\"><\/p>\n<p><font> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"FR\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong>\u00a0Tunisie: Le TMG condamne la tentative des       autorit\u00e9s de r\u00e9duire les voix r\u00e9calcitrantes au silence       <font>Vers l&rsquo;Avenir: Sihem Bensedrine t\u00e9moigne      <span lang=\"FR\">\u00ab\u00a0L&rsquo;islamisme \u00e9merge       \u00e0 cause de Ben Ali\u00a0\u00bb<\/span><\/font>       Libre Belgique: L&rsquo;espace de libert\u00e9 se r\u00e9duit encore       <font>Libre Belgique : Gr\u00e8ve de la faim pour un local<\/font>       Jaber Gafsi: Borhan Bsayess: l&rsquo;homme qui a toujours raison       <font>La Tunisie \u00ab malmene&rsquo;e \u00bb dans le rapport annuel de       la fondation americaine \u00ab Freedom House \u00bb<\/font>       Le Temps: Statut des ma\u00eetrisards dans les \u00e9coles primaires priv\u00e9es       <font>P\u00e9tition contre les tests ADN<\/font>       R\u00e9alit\u00e9s: L\u2019opposition tunisienne : Des conflits et des diff\u00e9rends<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"> <span lang=\"SV\"><\/p>\n<p><font> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"FR\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong><font>R\u00e9alit\u00e9s: Qu\u2019est-ce qu\u2019un       islamiste mod\u00e9r\u00e9 ?<\/font>       R\u00e9alit\u00e9s: La le\u00e7on de Bizerte       <font>Reuters: Turquie &#8211; G\u00fcl s&rsquo;engage \u00e0 poursuivre les       r\u00e9formes malgr\u00e9 l&rsquo;arm\u00e9e<\/font><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p><\/font><\/span> <\/p>\n<p align=\"left\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p><\/font><\/p>\n<p><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/strong><\/span> <strong> <\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<p> <\/strong><\/div>\n<div>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b><span lang=\"FR\"><font size=\"3\">      Tunisie: Le TMG condamne la tentative des autorit\u00e9s de r\u00e9duire les voix       r\u00e9calcitrantes au silence<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">ARTICLE 19 et       les autres membres du Groupe d&rsquo;observation de la Tunisie (TMG) condamnent       la d\u00e9cision de justice du 1er octobre 2007 visant \u00e0 expulser de leurs       locaux le Parti D\u00e9mocrate Progressiste (PDP), un parti politique       d&rsquo;opposition reconnu, et \u00ab\u00a0El-Mawkef\u00a0\u00bb, le journal officiel du PDP. Cela       faisait presque 13 ans que le journal hebdomadaire \u00e9tait dans ces locaux       o\u00f9 il a d\u00fb subir un harc\u00e8lement r\u00e9p\u00e9titif et fr\u00e9quent de la part des       autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Le directeur       d'\u00a0\u00bbEl-Mawkef\u00a0\u00bb, Nejib Chebbi, et le secr\u00e9taire g\u00e9n\u00e9ral du PDP, Maya Jribi,       sont en gr\u00e8ve de la faim depuis le 20 septembre 2007. Cette gr\u00e8ve de la       faim vise \u00e0 protester contre le recours au syst\u00e8me judiciaire de la part       des autorit\u00e9s pour faire taire \u00ab\u00a0les voix de la libert\u00e9\u00a0\u00bb. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Cette d\u00e9cision       de justice fait suite \u00e0 une plainte d\u00e9pos\u00e9e contre le directeur       d'\u00a0\u00bbEl-Mawkef\u00a0\u00bb par le propri\u00e9taire des lieux pour l&rsquo;usage que Nejib Chebbi       faisait de l&rsquo;appartement qu&rsquo;il louait en tant que si\u00e8ge du PDP. Cette       plainte et la condamnation qui a suivi \u00e0 l&rsquo;encontre de Chebbi ont \u00e9t\u00e9       t\u00e9l\u00e9guid\u00e9es par les autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes qui n&rsquo;ont pas h\u00e9sit\u00e9 \u00e0 faire       pression sur les propri\u00e9taires. On nous a par ailleurs signal\u00e9 que       d&rsquo;autres branches du m\u00eame parti, dans le pass\u00e9, ont \u00e9galement \u00e9t\u00e9       expuls\u00e9es de mani\u00e8re similaire. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">La derni\u00e8re       agression des forces de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 tunisiennes sur Lotfi Hajji, un       journaliste de la cha\u00eene de t\u00e9l\u00e9vision Al-Jazeera, alors qu&rsquo;il s&rsquo;effor\u00e7ait       de rendre compte de la gr\u00e8ve de la faim, d\u00e9montre le peu de cas que les       autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes font de la libert\u00e9 d&rsquo;expression dans le pays. On       avait d\u00e9j\u00e0 interdit l&rsquo;acc\u00e8s d'\u00a0\u00bbEl Mawkef\u00a0\u00bb et du PDP \u00e0 Lotfi Hajji \u00e0 trois       reprises. Le 28 septembre et le 2 octobre, on l&rsquo;a \u00e0 nouveau emp\u00each\u00e9 de       p\u00e9n\u00e9trer dans les locaux du journal et du parti en question. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Le TMG estime       que la tentative flagrante de faire taire les voix discordantes par la       censure, l&rsquo;intimidation et l&rsquo;utilisation d\u00e9tourn\u00e9e du syst\u00e8me judiciaire       constituent une infraction \u00e9vidente du droit \u00e0 la libert\u00e9 d&rsquo;expression,       tel que d\u00e9fini \u00e0 l&rsquo;article 19 du Pacte international relatif aux droits       civils et politiques que la Tunisie a sign\u00e9 et ratifi\u00e9. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Le TMG invite       le gouvernement tunisien \u00e0 cesser toutes les proc\u00e9dures visant \u00e0 expulser       le PDP de son si\u00e8ge et \u00e0 arr\u00eater la censure et le blocage d'\u00a0\u00bbEl-Mawkef\u00a0\u00bb et       des sites web du journal et du PDP. Les deux sites web ont \u00e9t\u00e9 bloqu\u00e9s il       y a quelques mois par les autorit\u00e9s. L&rsquo;acc\u00e8s \u00e0 un autre site web, h\u00e9berg\u00e9       au Canada, est bloqu\u00e9 \u00e0 Tunis depuis 2005, bien qu&rsquo;il soit actuellement       accessible depuis l&rsquo;\u00e9tranger. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      Le TMG soutient Nejib Chebbi et Maya Jribi dans leur campagne pour une       plus grande reconnaissance des droits de l&rsquo;Homme en Tunisie et invite la       soci\u00e9t\u00e9 civile internationale \u00e0 le rejoindre dans ce soutien en signant la       p\u00e9tition en ligne qui se trouve au lien suivant: <\/span> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.petitiononline.com\/pdpinfo\/petition.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span lang=\"FR\">http:\/\/www.petitiononline.com\/pdpinfo\/petition.html<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"FR\"> <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">Les membres       de l&rsquo;IFEX-TMG: <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">R\u00e9seau       d&rsquo;information arabe des droits de l&rsquo;Homme (HRINFO), \u00c9gypte       ARTICLE 19, Royaume-Uni       Journalistes canadiens pour la libert\u00e9 d&rsquo;expression (CJFE), Canada       Organisation \u00e9gyptienne pour les droits de l&rsquo;Homme (EOHR), \u00c9gypte        Index on Censorship, Royaume-Uni       F\u00e9d\u00e9ration internationale des journalistes (FIJ), Belgique       F\u00e9d\u00e9ration internationale des associations et institutions de       biblioth\u00e8ques (IFLA), Pays-Bas       Institut international de la presse (IIP), Autriche        Union internationale des \u00e9diteurs (UIE), Suisse       Journaliste en danger (JED), R\u00e9publique d\u00e9mocratique du Congo       Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Namibie       Centre PEN norv\u00e9gien, Norv\u00e8ge       Association mondiale des radiodiffuseurs communautaires (AMARC), Canada             Association mondiale des journaux (AMJ), France       World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), \u00c9tats-Unis       Comit\u00e9 des \u00e9crivains en prison de PEN International (WiPC), Royaume-Uni<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Le site web du       TMG est accessible en anglais au: <\/span> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span lang=\"FR\">      http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"FR\">;       en fran\u00e7ais au: <\/span> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/fr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span lang=\"FR\">http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/fr<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"FR\">;       en arabe au: <\/span> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hrinfo.net\/ifex\/wsis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span lang=\"FR\">http:\/\/www.hrinfo.net\/ifex\/wsis\/<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"FR\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      \u00a0 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b><span>ARTICLE       19<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">PRESS       RELEASE<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">For       immediate release &#8211; 3 October 2007<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Tunisia: TMG Condemns Attempts by Authorities to Silence Dissenting Voices<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">ARTICLE 19       together with its fellow Tunisian Monitoring Group (TMG) members, condemns       the court decision given on the 1st October to expel the officially       acknowledged opposition party of the Tunisian ruling party; the Tunisian       Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), and the PDP\u2019s official newspaper       Al-Mawkef from their premises. The weekly newspaper had been stationed in       its headquarters for nearly 13 years and has suffered repeated and       frequent harassment from Tunisian authorities.               The Director of Al-Mawkef, Nejib Chebbi, and the Secretary General of the       PDP, Maya Jribi, have been on hunger strike since the 20th September. The       hunger strike was initiated in protest to the authorities\u2019 use of the       judicial system to \u2018silence the voices of freedom\u2019; this came following a       case brought against the Al-Mawkef director by his landlord for using the       apartment he was hiring as PDP headquarters. This charge and subsequent       conviction was brought against Chebbi at the behest of the Tunisian       authorities who pressurise landlords to act. It is reported that similar       branches of the same party have, in the past, also been evicted in similar       ways.              The latest attack by the Tunisian security forces on Lotfi Hajji, a       reporter for the television station Al-Jazeera, when he attempted to       report on the hunger strike, demonstrates the poor level of recognition of       freedom of expression rights in the country. Hajji had been prevented from       entering PDP &amp; Al-Mawkef headquarters three times already and was again on       the 28th September and 2nd October prevented from entering the newspaper       and party offices.               The TMG sees the blatant attempt to silence dissenting voices through       censorship, intimidation and appalling use of judicial courts, as an       obvious infringement on the fundamental human right to freedom of       expression, enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil       and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Tunisia has both signed and ratified.                    The TMG calls on the Tunisian government to stop all procedures to expel       the PDP from its office and to stop all censorship and blockage of       Al-Mawkef and the Progressive Democratic Party\u2019s websites. Two websites       were blocked a few months ago by the authorities. Access to another       website, hosted in Canada, has been blocked in Tunis since 2005 although       it is currently accessible from overseas. The TMG lends its support to       Nejib Chebbi and Mya Jribi in their campaign for greater acknowledgment of       Tunisian human rights and calls on international society demonstrate their       support for their case in signing the online petition      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.petitiononline.com\/pdpinfo\/petition.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      http:\/\/www.petitiononline.com\/pdpinfo\/petition.html<\/a>.               <b>Members of the TMG are:<\/b>       Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRInfo):      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hrinfo.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.hrinfo.net<\/a>        ARTICLE 19: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.article19.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      www.article19.org<\/a>        Canadian Journalists for Free Expression:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cjfe.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.cjfe.org<\/a>        Cartoonists Rights Network International:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cartoonistrights.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      www.cartoonistrights.com<\/a>        Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eohr.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.eohr.org<\/a>        Index on Censorship: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.indexonline.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      www.indexonline.org<\/a>        International Federation of Journalists:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ifj.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.ifj.org<\/a>\u00a0        International Federation of Library Association and Institutions:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ifla.org\/faife\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.ifla.org\/faife<\/a>             International PEN &#8211; Writers in Prison Committee:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalpen.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      www.internationalpen.org.uk<\/a>        International Press Institute:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freemedia.at\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.freemedia.at<\/a>             International Publishers&rsquo; Association:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ipa-uie.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.ipa-uie.org<\/a>        Journaliste en Danger:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jed-afrique.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.jed-afrique.org<\/a>             Media Institute of Southern Africa:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.misa.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.misa.org<\/a>        Norwegian PEN: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.norskpen.no\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      www.norskpen.no<\/a>        World Association of Newspapers:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wan-press.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.wan-press.org<\/a>             World Press Freedom Committee:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wpfc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.wpfc.org<\/a>        World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amarc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.amarc.org<\/a>        \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">NOTES TO       EDITORS<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">For more         information, please contact Africa Programme Officer, Roxanne Abdulali,        <a href=\"http:\/\/fr.f265.mail.yahoo.com\/ym\/Compose?To=roxanne@article19.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">        roxanne@article19.org<\/a>, tel; +44 207 843 9620<\/span> <\/li>\n<li> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">To         contact the TMG, send an e-mail to        <a href=\"http:\/\/fr.f265.mail.yahoo.com\/ym\/Compose?To=mena@ifex.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">        mena@ifex.org<\/a>\u00a0 <\/span><\/li>\n<li> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The TMG         website is accessible in English:        <a href=\"http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">        http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/<\/a>; French:        <a href=\"http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/fr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">        http:\/\/campaigns.ifex.org\/tmg\/fr<\/a>; Arabic:        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hrinfo.net\/ifex\/wsis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">        http:\/\/www.hrinfo.net\/ifex\/wsis\/<\/a> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">ARTICLE 19       is an independent human rights organisation that works globally to protect       and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from       Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees       free speech.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">If you no       longer wish to remain on ARTICLE 19&rsquo;s mailing list, please unsubscribe      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.article19.org\/subscribe\/unsubscribe.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      here<\/a>\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Alternatively, if you would like to receive <b>region specific information<\/b>       only, send an email to      <a href=\"http:\/\/fr.f265.mail.yahoo.com\/ym\/Compose?To=subscribe@article19.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      subscribe<\/a> stating which regions you would like to receive information       about.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      ARTICLE 19       6-8 Amwell Street London EC1R 1UQ United Kingdom       Tel: +44 20 7278 9292 &#8211; Fax: +44 20 7278 7660 &#8211;      <a href=\"http:\/\/fr.f265.mail.yahoo.com\/ym\/Compose?To=info@article19.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      info@article19.org<\/a> &#8211;      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.article19.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.article19.org<\/a><\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">             \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b><span lang=\"FR\">TUNISIE<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00ab\u00a0L&rsquo;islamisme       \u00e9merge \u00e0 cause de Ben Ali\u00a0\u00bb<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">La       politique de r\u00e9pression du pr\u00e9sident tunisien Ben Ali favorise l&rsquo;\u00e9mergence       de l&rsquo;islamisme radical. La journaliste Sihem Bensedrine t\u00e9moigne.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">La journaliste       Sihem Bensedrine est l&rsquo;une des grandes figures de la d\u00e9fense des libert\u00e9s       en Tunisie. Invit\u00e9e \u00e0 Bruxelles par Front Line, la fondation       internationale pour la protection des d\u00e9fenseurs des droits de l&rsquo;homme,       elle dresse un bilan alarmant de la situation dans son pays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">Vingt ans       apr\u00e8s l&rsquo;arriv\u00e9e au pouvoir de Ben Ali, o\u00f9 en est la Tunisie en mati\u00e8re de       droits de<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">l&rsquo;homme?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">Les droits       de l&rsquo;homme en Tunisie sont une rh\u00e9torique de propagande, mais pas une       r\u00e9alit\u00e9. Chaque jour, on se dit qu&rsquo;on \u00e9tait mieux avant. Nous n&rsquo;avons       jamais connu le niveau d&rsquo;asphyxie des libert\u00e9s auquel nous sommes       parvenus. Il y a 20 ans, les ONG ind\u00e9pendantes pouvaient encore tenir des       r\u00e9unions plus ou moins publiques, ce qui est exclu aujourd&rsquo;hui. La       bataille des locaux est devenue un enjeu majeur pour la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 civile       tunisienne. Le pouvoir nous fait d\u00e9guerpir un \u00e0 un de nos propres locaux       et fait pression sur les propri\u00e9taires pour qu&rsquo;ils ne nous louent pas de       b\u00e2timent. Il y a quelques jours, le local du Conseil des libert\u00e9s auquel       j&rsquo;appartiens a \u00e9t\u00e9 encercl\u00e9 par une cinquantaine de policiers en civil.       Ils ont interdit \u00e0 tout le monde d&rsquo;entrer parce qu&rsquo;on devait tenir une       r\u00e9union de notre bureau directeur. Chaque jour, un petit morceau de nos       libert\u00e9s s&rsquo;en va. La r\u00e9pression atteint des proportions inimaginables et       alarmantes.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">Le r\u00e9gime       vous a-t-il menac\u00e9e?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">Aucun       d\u00e9fenseur des droits de l&rsquo;homme n&rsquo;y \u00e9chappe. Pendant 4 \u00e0 5 ans, mon mari       et moi avons \u00e9t\u00e9 interdits de travail. Ils ont ferm\u00e9 ma maison d&rsquo;\u00e9dition.       Ils ont mis mon mari en r\u00e9sidence surveill\u00e9 pour qu&rsquo;il ne puisse pas       s&rsquo;occuper de son exploitation. Ils nous ont affam\u00e9s. La pers\u00e9cution       \u00e9conomique touche de nombreux d\u00e9fenseurs des libert\u00e9s.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">      Redoutez-vous que la situation s&rsquo;aggrave \u00e0 l&rsquo;approche de la pr\u00e9sidentielle       de 2009?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">Le       pr\u00e9sident Ben Ali brigue un 5e mandat. Sa campagne a d\u00e9j\u00e0 d\u00e9marr\u00e9 et le       jeu est totalement ferm\u00e9. Personne ne peut se porter candidat sauf lui et       les gens qu&rsquo;il d\u00e9signe lui-m\u00eame comme<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">ses       pseudo-concurrents. En interdisant \u00e0 l&rsquo;opposition toute activit\u00e9, il cr\u00e9e       un vide total, une d\u00e9sertification de l&rsquo;espace de d\u00e9bat public o\u00f9       s&rsquo;engouffre l&rsquo;islamisme radical. Des mouvements<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">salafistes       voient le jour, ce que n&rsquo;existait pas chez nous auparavant. Le d\u00e9sespoir       jette les jeunes Tunisiens dans les bras des extr\u00e9mistes.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">Sont-ils       aussi pers\u00e9cut\u00e9s?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">Bien s\u00fbr.       Ils sont arr\u00eat\u00e9s, tortur\u00e9s, jet\u00e9s en prison. Nous suivons ces affaires en       tant qu&rsquo;observateurs et l&rsquo;on mesure avec effroi leur d\u00e9termination. Ils       nous disent que notre combat ne m\u00e8ne \u00e0 rien, que la voie pacifiste conduit       \u00e0 l&rsquo;impasse et que le seul langage que comprend ce r\u00e9gime, c&rsquo;est la       violence.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">Comment       expliquez-vous le silence de l&rsquo;UE?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">L&rsquo;UE ne       fait rien ou ne veut rien faire parce que les questions s\u00e9curitaires sont       prioritaires. C&rsquo;est la politique de compromission de la France qui       s&rsquo;impose. Mais cette approche est contreproductive.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <i><span lang=\"FR\">Maintenant,       nous avons notre lot d&rsquo;extr\u00e9mistes et le pays est r\u00e9ellement menac\u00e9. La       Tunisie, qui avait tous les atouts pour \u00eatre un pays d\u00e9mocratique, se       trouve dans un \u00e9tat de r\u00e9gression g\u00e9n\u00e9rale par le fait d&rsquo;un dictateur. Ben       Ali a d\u00e9cid\u00e9 de prendre en otage ce pays d\u00e9sormais expos\u00e9 \u00e0 des risques       extr\u00eames qui n&rsquo;existaient pas avant.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p dir=\"rtl\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"rtl\"> <b><i> <span dir=\"ltr\">      Catherine DEHAY<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p dir=\"rtl\"> <i><span dir=\"ltr\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      (Source\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Vers l&rsquo;Avenir\u00a0\u00bb, (Quotidien \u2013 Belgique), le 1<sup>er<\/sup>       octobre 2007)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      Lien\u00a0:      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.actu24.be\/article\/monde\/lislamisme_emerge_a_cause_de_ben_ali\/41835.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      http:\/\/www.actu24.be\/article\/monde\/lislamisme_emerge_a_cause_de_ben_ali\/41835.aspx<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <i> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0      <\/span><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong> <\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: red;\"><font size=\"3\">L&rsquo;espace de libert\u00e9 se r\u00e9duit encore<\/font><\/h2>\n<p><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"> <strong>G\u00e9rald Papy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      Le r\u00e9gime du pr\u00e9sident Ben Ali va f\u00eater son 20e anniversaire en novembre.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      Pour la journaliste Sihem Bensedrine, la r\u00e9pression n&rsquo;a jamais \u00e9t\u00e9 aussi       f\u00e9roce.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      Elle se dit d\u00e9\u00e7ue de la frilosit\u00e9 de l&rsquo;Union europ\u00e9enne.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Le 7 novembre,       la Tunisie c\u00e9l\u00e9brera le 20e anniversaire de l&rsquo;accession au pouvoir du       pr\u00e9sident Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. La Fondation internationale pour la       protection des d\u00e9fenseurs des droits de l&rsquo;homme \u00ab\u00a0Front Line\u00a0\u00bb a voulu, \u00e0       cette occasion, dress\u00e9 un bilan de la situation des droits humains dans ce       \u00ab\u00a0pays proche\u00a0\u00bb, comme le vantait il y a quelques ann\u00e9es la publicit\u00e9. Elle       avait invit\u00e9 jeudi \u00e0 Bruxelles la journaliste, Sihem Bensedrine, une des       grandes figures de la d\u00e9fense des libert\u00e9s face \u00e0 la r\u00e9pression d&rsquo;une       \u00ab\u00a0petite dictature tol\u00e9r\u00e9e et tol\u00e9rable\u00a0\u00bb aux yeux de beaucoup       d&rsquo;Occidentaux.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Que retient       Sihem Bensedrine de ces vingt derni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es ? \u00ab\u00a0Il y a vingt ans,       mat\u00e9riellement, je vivais mieux. Je pouvais \u00e9crire librement. Nous       pouvions nous r\u00e9unir librement et manifester. En vingt ans, le pouvoir de       Ben Ali nous a permis d&rsquo;organiser une seule manifestation, celle contre la       guerre en Irak, en 2003\u00a0\u00bb. Certes, Mme Bensedrine reconna\u00eet l&rsquo;acquis d&rsquo;une       certaine r\u00e9ussite \u00e9conomique. \u00ab\u00a0Mais cette r\u00e9ussite \u00e9conomique n&rsquo;est pas au       niveau de nos capacit\u00e9s\u00a0\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Pour la       courageuse d\u00e9fenderesse des droits de l&rsquo;homme, la Tunisie depuis vingt       ans, c&rsquo;est l&rsquo;histoire d&rsquo;un g\u00e2chis et d&rsquo;une occasion manqu\u00e9e. Ce pays avait       \u00ab\u00a0une chance r\u00e9elle d&rsquo;instaurer une d\u00e9mocratie du fait de ses traditions et       de ses atouts au niveau social et \u00e9conomique, explique-t-elle. Mais la       Tunisie a \u00e9t\u00e9 prise en otage par une famille\u00a0\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">La lutte       contre l&rsquo;extr\u00e9misme islamiste y a \u00e9t\u00e9 d\u00e9voy\u00e9e en r\u00e9pression de toute       opposition, d\u00e9mocratique y comprise. R\u00e9sultat : \u00ab\u00a0On a produit une       d\u00e9sertification de l&rsquo;espace de d\u00e9bat public. Ce qui conduit, notamment       aujourd&rsquo;hui, \u00e0 l&rsquo;\u00e9mergence d&rsquo;une mouvance islamiste salafiste qui       auparavant, n&rsquo;avait pas droit de cit\u00e9, car elle \u00e9tait jug\u00e9e trop       r\u00e9trograde par rapport au niveau d&rsquo;\u00e9ducation de la population\u00a0\u00bb,       diagnostique Sihem Bensedrine. La journaliste s&rsquo;inqui\u00e8te en particulier du       sort de nombreux jeunes; \u00ab\u00a0ces jeunes qui constatent que pour eux, tout se       ferme\u00a0\u00bb; \u00ab\u00a0ils \u00e9clatent\u00a0\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      M\u00e9nager le pouvoir<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Face \u00e0 ce       constat accablant, la porte-parole du Conseil national pour les libert\u00e9s       en Tunisie (CNLT) d\u00e9plore le d\u00e9sint\u00e9r\u00eat qu&rsquo;affiche l&rsquo;Union europ\u00e9enne \u00e0       l&rsquo;\u00e9gard de l&rsquo;\u00e9tat des libert\u00e9s fondamentales en Tunisie. Elle qui a eu des       entretiens avec des fonctionnaires d\u00e9pendant de la commissaire aux       Relations ext\u00e9rieures, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, d\u00e9nonce une certaine       complaisance \u00e0 l&rsquo;\u00e9gard de la dictature de Ben Ali.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Et si       l&rsquo;argument de la \u00ab\u00a0guerre contre le terrorisme\u00a0\u00bb ne lui est plus oppos\u00e9 pour       justifier cette attitude comme il pouvait l&rsquo;\u00eatre dans les ann\u00e9es qui ont       directement suivi les attentats du 11 septembre, elle a l&rsquo;impression qu&rsquo;on       essaye de lui faire comprendre qu&rsquo;il faut m\u00e9nager le pouvoir en place       parce que, somme toute, il pourrait se targuer d&rsquo;une r\u00e9ussite \u00e9conomique       et de succ\u00e8s contre les islamistes. A voir.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR-CH\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR-CH\">      (Source\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Libre Belgique\u00a0\u00bb (Quotidien \u2013 Belgique), le 28 septembre 2007)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR-CH\">      Lien\u00a0:<\/span><span lang=\"FR-CH\"> <\/span><span lang=\"FR\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lalibre.be\/article.phtml?id=10&amp;subid=83&amp;art_id=373469\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span>      http:\/\/www.lalibre.be\/article.phtml?id=10&amp;subid=83&amp;art_id=373469<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><span lang=\"FR\">\u00c9pingl\u00e9<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: red;\"><font size=\"3\">Gr\u00e8ve de la faim       pour un local<\/font><\/h2>\n<p><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"> <strong>G\u00e9rald Papy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Depuis le       jeudi 20 septembre, la secr\u00e9taire g\u00e9n\u00e9rale du Parti d\u00e9mocratique       progressiste (PDP, opposition l\u00e9gale), Maya Jribi, et N\u00e9jib Chebbi, son       pr\u00e9d\u00e9cesseur, m\u00e8nent une gr\u00e8ve de la faim pour protester contre les       menaces qui p\u00e8sent sur l&rsquo;utilisation de leur bureau, un des rares espaces       de libert\u00e9 publique encore ouvert \u00e0 Tunis. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">En fait, le       propri\u00e9taire du lieu a engag\u00e9 une proc\u00e9dure judiciaire en extr\u00eame urgence       sous pr\u00e9texte que le local \u00e9tait destin\u00e9 aux activit\u00e9s de l&rsquo;hebdomadaire       \u00ab\u00a0al Mawkef\u00a0\u00bb, la publication du PDP, et pas \u00e0 celles du parti lui-m\u00eame.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Pour Sihem       Bensedrine, il s&rsquo;agit d&rsquo;une nouvelle illustration de la strat\u00e9gie du       pouvoir visant \u00e0 faire taire les voix de l&rsquo;opposition d\u00e9mocratique. \u00ab\u00a0C&rsquo;est       un aspect concret de la r\u00e9pression\u00a0\u00bb, commente-t-elle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Un constat       confirm\u00e9 par Vincent Forrest, directeur du bureau de l&rsquo;organisation \u00ab\u00a0Front       Line\u00a0\u00bb \u00e0 Bruxelles. Celui-ci rappelle les difficult\u00e9s qu&rsquo;il a rencontr\u00e9es       pour mener \u00e0 bien une mission de l&rsquo;organisation, du 19 au 24 mai 2007. Il       a notamment \u00e9t\u00e9 contraint de tenir une r\u00e9union avec des d\u00e9fenseurs des       droits de l&rsquo;homme dans un&#8230; grand magasin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Vincent       Forrest d\u00e9nonce aussi les pressions qui sont exerc\u00e9es sur leur famille       pour entraver le travail des militants des droits humains. Il en va ainsi       de ces magistrats nomm\u00e9s \u00e0 des centaines de km de leur domicile pour       rendre leur vie de famille particuli\u00e8rement p\u00e9nible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"rtl\"> <span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR-CH\">      (Source\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Libre Belgique\u00a0\u00bb (Quotidien \u2013 Belgique), le 28 septembre 2007)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p dir=\"rtl\"> <b> <span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"FR-CH\">      Lien\u00a0:<\/span><span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"FR-CH\"> <\/span><u> <span dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"FR\">      http:\/\/www.lalibre.be\/article.phtml?id=10&amp;subid=83&amp;art_id=373466<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<div> <strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: red;\"><font face=\"Arial\" size=\"2\"> <\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><font size=\"3\">      Borhan Bsayess: l&rsquo;homme qui a toujours raison<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/font><\/h2>\n<p><\/strong><\/div>\n<div>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><font>\u00a0<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"> <strong>Jaber Gafsi &#8211; Sociologue<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Mr <b>Borhan       Bsayess <\/b>a vraiment excell\u00e9 dans<span> sa d\u00e9fense       intelligente du pouvoir <\/span>en \u00e9pousant un discours compr\u00e9hensif et       calme voulant se montrer logique et neutre. C\u2019est un discours convaincant       \u00e0 l&rsquo;entendre suivant une lecture de premier degr\u00e9 qui ferme les yeux sur       l&rsquo;historique de la chose \u00e0 savoir <b>la bataille des si\u00e8ges du PDP<\/b>       dans les r\u00e9gions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Dieu seul sait       combien de fois ce parti a lou\u00e9 un local \u00e0 JENDOUBA, \u00e0 GABES, \u00e0 KAIROUAN,       \u00e0 Medenine&#8230;. et apr\u00e8s 24 heures de la signature du contrat, le pauvre       propri\u00e9taire malchanceux revenait sur son engagement en pleurant et en       suppliant les responsables r\u00e9gionaux du parti d&rsquo;annuler ce maudit contrat       de location, parce qu\u2019il avait subit maintes pressions et menaces       susceptibles de rendre sa vie personnelle et familiale infernale et       insupportable. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">De ce point de       vue ce qu&rsquo;ont fait <b>Mme Jribi et Mr Chebbi <\/b>n&rsquo;est pas du cin\u00e9ma ou du       th\u00e9\u00e2tre mais une lecture approfondie et \u00e9veill\u00e9e de l&rsquo;intention du pouvoir       de couper la route devant ce parti politique qui a commenc\u00e9 \u00e0 d\u00e9passer le       seuil du travail politique permis, et qui n&rsquo;est autre qu&#8217;embellir la       vitrine d\u00e9mocratique du pays devant le monde ext\u00e9rieur. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Que le PDP       soit la voix de ceux qui n&rsquo;ont pas le droit \u00e0 la parole et \u00e0 la       citoyennet\u00e9, <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">qu&rsquo;il commence       \u00e0 mobiliser des gens et surtout des jeunes dans presque toutes les r\u00e9gions       du pays, qu&rsquo;il entreprenne de bonnes relations avec les forces s\u00e9rieuses       et sinc\u00e8res de l&rsquo;opposition d\u00e9mocratiques y compris les islamistes.., cela       repr\u00e9sente aux yeux du pouvoir un v\u00e9ritable d\u00e9fi arrogant et impoli qui ne       doit jamais \u00eatre tol\u00e9r\u00e9. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Cela-dit, la       r\u00e9ponse du PDP n&rsquo;a pas \u00e9t\u00e9 de baisser la garde et de s&rsquo;incliner devant la       temp\u00eate mais de militer courageusement et pacifiquement avec tous les       hommes libres de ce pays <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">pour combattre       cette injustice et arracher son droit au travail politique l\u00e9gal et       ind\u00e9pendant m\u00eame au prix de sacrifier la vie de se leaders historiques et       politiques. C&rsquo;est une grande le\u00e7on de g\u00e9n\u00e9rosit\u00e9 et de d\u00e9vouement       compl\u00e8tement \u00e9trang\u00e8re et incompr\u00e9hensible dans les partis de       mercantilisme politique et de l&rsquo;opposition du d\u00e9cor. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Pour ce qui       concerne l&rsquo;invitation \u00e0 <b>l&rsquo;ing\u00e9rence des pays \u00e9trangers dans les       affaires internes du pays <\/b>et par cons\u00e9quent l&rsquo;accusation du parti de       d\u00e9pendance aux forces ext\u00e9rieures imp\u00e9rialistes et ennemies du pays&#8230;,       c&rsquo;est une accusation qui fait rire au point de vomir quand elle vient de       la part d&rsquo;une instance qui se d\u00e9clare ouvertement amie fid\u00e8le des Etats       Unis et des pays d\u00e9mocratiques de l&rsquo;occident et qui n&rsquo;a pas froid aux yeux       d&rsquo;entreprendre des relations diplomatiques secr\u00e8tes avec l&rsquo;ennemi       v\u00e9ritable de la nation \u00e0 savoir l&rsquo;Etat d&rsquo;Isra\u00ebl sans mettre au courant son       peuple de cette d\u00e9cision grave et inattendue. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">En outre,       l&rsquo;Etat tunisien nous a accoutum\u00e9 de ne pas r\u00e9pondre aux demandes l\u00e9gales       et justes de l&rsquo;opposition patriotique et de se soumettre aux       recommandations et pression des pays \u00e9trangers comme c&rsquo;\u00e9tait le cas dans      <i><u>l&rsquo;affaire Ben Brick, Ben Sedrine, Marzouki, Abbou et bien       d&rsquo;autres&#8230;<\/u><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">En plus       l&rsquo;action politique est de nature pragmatique et souple. On ne peut pas       \u00eatre cat\u00e9gorique et extr\u00e9miste au sens de tout prendre ou tout laisser.       Certes les Etats Unis est un pays imp\u00e9rialiste qui a des intentions       n\u00e9ocolonialistes et qui soutient aveuglement les int\u00e9r\u00eats sionistes de       l&rsquo;Etat d&rsquo;Isra\u00ebl, mais cela n&#8217;emp\u00eache pas que tout le monde entretienne des       relations diplomatiques avec cette force internationale. Cela dit, tous       ceux qui \u00e9tablissent des accords bilat\u00e9raux avec les Etats Unis ne sont       pas automatiquement des pions ou des mercenaires. C&rsquo;est un discours       extr\u00e9miste et obscurantiste \u00e0 travers lequel Mr Bsayes marque un       changement de camp de 180 degr\u00e9s, et par cons\u00e9quent ne trouvant aucun mal       \u00e0 admettre une logique int\u00e9griste qui exclut l&rsquo;autre et le ridiculise en       mettant en question son degr\u00e9 de patriotisme et d&rsquo;appartenance \u00e0 ce pays,       tout \u00e0 fait comme le font certains salafistes qui accusent leurs ennemis       de manque de foie et de religiosit\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">Finalement je       tiens \u00e0 rappeler Mr Bsayes, qui est sociologue de formation, des ABC de la       sociologie et des sciences humaines, qu&rsquo;en mati\u00e8re des relations et des       int\u00e9r\u00eats humains il n&rsquo;y a pas<b> d&rsquo;automatisme<\/b> et de <b>d\u00e9terminisme<\/b>.       Un mouvement social fonctionne en terme de croisement objectif d&rsquo;int\u00e9r\u00eats       et de strat\u00e9gies conscientes des acteurs sociaux.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"rtl\"> <span lang=\"AR-TN\"> <strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"rtl\"> <strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p dir=\"rtl\">      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <font> <\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Freedom House<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <i><u> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Press release<\/span><\/u><\/i><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Despite       Economic Growth, Political Freedom in North Africa is Stagnant or       Declining<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Washington, D.C.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">October       1, 2007<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Although       North Africa has experienced some economic progress over the past two       years, the leaders of Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia remain       fundamentally undemocratic and, in some cases, have reversed earlier gains       in freedom, according to a report released by Freedom House.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Countries at the Crossroads<\/span><\/em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">,       an annual survey of government performance in 30 strategically important       countries worldwide, reported that despite some success in implementing       economic reforms, North African leaders\u2019 rhetoric about increasing       political freedoms remains empty, and civil liberties remain extremely       restricted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       narrative and scores from <em><span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/template.cfm?page=380\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Countries at       the Crossroads 2007<\/a><\/span><\/em> for      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/template.cfm?page=140&amp;edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=147\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      Algeria<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/uploads\/AlgeriaArabicCCR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arabic<\/a>       version),      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/template.cfm?page=140&amp;edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=154\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      Egypt<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/uploads\/ccr\/CCREgypt.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arabic<\/a>       version),      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/template.cfm?page=140&amp;edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=160\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      Libya<\/a> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/uploads\/LibyaArabicCCR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arabic<\/a>       version), and      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/template.cfm?page=140&amp;edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      Tunisia<\/a> are available online.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cGovernment       officials across North Africa have placed an emphasis on economic growth       in their countries, and have had some success,\u201d said Thomas O. Melia,       deputy executive director of Freedom House. \u201cHowever, those same leaders       are doing very little to achieve political reform, which imposes limits on       how far economic progress may go. Many have been in power for years\u2014in       some cases decades\u2014and yet haven\u2019t achieved significant reforms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Most of the       countries in the region have made strides economically in the past two       years. In Tunisia, the government continues to have some success with new       economic strategies, as well as with education and anti-poverty policies.       Nonetheless, political conditions remain extremely restricted. President       Zine Al-Abidine Bin Ali continues his policy of \u201cinstitutionalization,\u201d       creating the appearance of democracy without the substance. There is no       opportunity for the rotation of power among political parties or leaders       representing competing interests and policy options.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">In Libya,       the government finally succeeded in ending its isolation and has re-joined       the international community. Although the government has taken some       tentative steps in the direction of economic reform, political change has       remained largely off the agenda. President Muammar Qadhafi continues to       impose his own ideology on the population and maintains control over       virtually all aspects of life inside the country, as he has for the past       38 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Algeria       also has made considerable progress toward reducing internal violence,       improving economic conditions, and reforming some public institutions.       President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been unwilling, however, to spend       political capital on democratizing the country\u2019s political process and       moving toward a market-propelled economy. He continues to bid for greater       authority, contradicting his spoken commitment to democracy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u201cProspects       for political freedom in the region are not completely hopeless,\u201d said       Richard Eisendorf, senior program manager for the Middle East and North       Africa at Freedom House. \u201cThe Tunisian and Libyan governments both       released a number of political prisoners last year, and both are       supporting women rights. Additionally, Algeria\u2019s charter on truth and       reconciliation helped move that nation forward and away from violence. But       when one examines the big picture, it is clear that the ability of people       in the region to enjoy universally-accepted political and civil rights is       still extremely limited,\u201d added Mr. Eisendorf.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Only in       Egypt has the government been both economically unsuccessful as well as       politically repressive. In 2006 and 2007, President Hosni Mubarak turned       his back on his 2005 campaign promises of enacting political reforms;       instead, he waged a national campaign to crack down on dissidents. <\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The Freedom       House survey, <em><span>Countries at the       Crossroads<\/span><\/em>, provides a comparative evaluation of government       performance in four touchstone areas of democratic governance:       Accountability and Public Voice, Civil Liberties, Rule of Law, and       Anticorruption and Transparency. This survey examines these areas of       performance in a set of 30 countries that are at a critical crossroads in       determining their political future. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <font size=\"2\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Freedom House, an independent       nongovernmental organization that supports the expansion of freedom around       the world, has been monitoring political rights and civil liberties in       North Africa since 1972.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      (Source: le site de \u201cFreedom House\u201d, le 1er octobre 2007)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Lien:<\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/template.cfm?page=70&amp;release=562\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/template.cfm?page=70&amp;release=562<\/a><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <strong><font> <span lang=\"FR\">LA TUNISIE       \u00ab\u00a0MALMENEE\u00a0\u00bb DANS LE RAPPORT ANNUEL DE LA FONDATION AMERICAINE \u00ab\u00a0FREEDOM       HOUSE\u00a0\u00bb<\/span><\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span>C<\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">ountries       at the Crossroads 2007<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"color: blue;\"> <font> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Country       Report \u2013 Tunisia<\/span><\/font><\/h5>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">Capital:       Tunis<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong><font size=\"2\">Population: 10,100,000<\/font><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">GDP:       2880<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Scores:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Accountability and Public Voice: 1.74<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Civil Liberties: 3.11<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Rule of Law: 2.92<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Anticorruption and Transparency: 3.08<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">(Scores       are based on a scale of 0 to 7, with 0 representing weakest and 7       representing strongest performance.)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"><strong><font size=\"2\">Introduction<\/font><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Tunisia is       a small, semiarid Mediterranean country on the northern coast of Africa.       Villages and rain-fed agriculture supplemented by groundwater irrigation       dominate<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>the       rural landscape. Land distribution is typically skewed toward large       landholders,<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>and       agricultural production varies enormously with rainfall.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The largely       homogeneous population of approximately 10 million is primarily Arab and       Sunni Muslim. Like Algeria and Morocco, Tunisia was subjected to French       colonial rule. Since independence in 1956, Tunisian politics have featured       a hegemonic, authoritarian political party whose name has changed over       time. Currently the party is known as the <em> <span>Rassemblement Constitutionelle       Democratique<\/span><\/em> (Constitutional Democratic Rally, or RCD).       Borrowing key cadres from the party to fill bureaucratic and government       posts, Tunisia\u2019s first postindependence president, Habib Bourguiba, built       a new institutional order that replaced the French colonial system. To       consolidate its rule, the single-party state utilized ancillary       corporatist organizations to pull various social forces under the       state-party umbrella. These included labor, peasant, business, student,       and professional associations. Atop the system stood the Tunisian       president, who was both head of the ruling party and head of state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Since       independence, Tunisian leaders have achieved substantial progress in       modernizing their society and, more recently, bringing it into the global       economy. Partly due to their choice of development strategy, current       challenges in Tunisia include fostering the private sector and carrying       out the privatization of state-owned enterprises. The government must       implement these policies while simultaneously providing adequate social       safety nets; tackling the critical issue of unemployment, mainly among the       young; reforming the civil service; increasing transparency; and       decentralizing decision making. In addition, Tunisian leaders have been       forced to rethink politics in order to give a voice to a more educated       populace and a growing middle class, while dealing with political dissent       inspired by a literalist understanding of Islam similar to that in other       parts of the Muslim world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">There are a       number of signs of success in the economic and social spheres. The country       has relatively low rates of poverty, and literacy and education levels       that are high for the developing world. Furthermore, social policies       stretching back to the early years of independence have been progressive       in terms of women\u2019s rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Unfortunately, political conditions stand in jarring contrast to such       achievements. President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who replaced the aged       Bourguiba in a bloodless coup in 1987, spearheaded a timid democratic       opening in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, since then the regime       has systematically asserted control over all institutions that could       constitute a countervailing power\u2014parliament, the judiciary, the press,       political parties, universities, professional associations, and other such       entities.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1<\/a><\/sup>       Ben Ali\u2019s legalization of multiple parties and introduction of electoral       competition between them in 1989 has settled, for the moment, into a       striking example of the institutionalization of the forms of democracy       without any of the substance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">With       democratic institutions providing little legitimacy in recent years, the       regime has sought to secure social compliance with its rule through       progress in economic development, success in combating Islamic extremists,       and a willingness to utilize the state\u2019s coercive and intelligence       organizations against any perceived threat. Still, Tunisian society has a       number of traits, such as high levels of literacy and urbanization and a       large middle class, that typically produce pressure for accountability and       public voice and, over time, an unwillingness to accept anything less.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Accountability and Public Voice \u2013 1.74<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <strong> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Free and fair electoral laws and elections: 1.25<\/span><\/strong><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <strong><span>Effective and accountable       government: 3.00<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Civic engagement and civic       monitoring: 1.33<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Media independence and freedom of       expression: 1.38<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"><font size=\"2\">Despite having the opportunity to vote       in regular, nominally competitive elections for the legislature and the       presidency, Tunisian citizens do not have sufficient rights to be able to       change their government. The ruling party still has a monopoly on public       life in the country. It dominates the cabinet, the legislature, and       regional and local government. There is no true opportunity for the       effective rotation of power among a range of different political parties       representing competing interests and policy options.<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Tunisia       held presidential and parliamentary elections on October 24, 2004. Zine       el-Abidine Ben Ali retained the presidency with 94.48 percent of the vote,       while his party, the RCD, won 87.7 percent of the votes for the Chamber of       Deputies. Tunisian law requires that 20 percent of the seats in the       chamber be distributed to the legal opposition parties in proportion to       their relative success in the national vote; otherwise, the RCD would have       swept the parliament. It was instead awarded 152 seats. Of the 37 seats       distributed to opposition parties, 14 went to the Movement of Democratic       Socialists (MDS), 11 to the Party of People\u2019s Unity (PUP), 7 to the       Unionist Democratic Union (UDU), 3 to the Renewal Movement, and 2 to the       Social Liberal Party (PSL); the remaining legal party, the Progressive       Democratic Party (PDP), did not win a seat.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">3<\/a><\/sup>       The ruling party is committed to ensuring that at least 25 percent of its       candidates are women. Overall, 43 percent of the 189 deputies elected in       2004 were women.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Some       political variation among the legal opposition parties emerged in the       elections, partly in reaction to constitutional amendments in 2002 that       allowed the president to seek a fourth term in office, and to a 2003       electoral law amendment that imposed a fine of 5,000 dinars ($4,000) for       violation of a new ban on using privately owned or foreign television and       radio stations to campaign. Four members of the \u201cloyal opposition\u201d\u2014the       MDS, UDU, PSL, and PUP\u2014supported the constitutional amendments and took a       favorable view of the 2004 legislative and presidential elections.       However, a second camp of legally established parties has grown more       critical of the president and the RCD. For example, the left-wing PDP       called for a boycott of the presidential election. Its leader, Ahmed Nejib       Chebbi, claimed that \u201cthe poll would reproduce one-man rule monopolizing       all power.\u201d<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5<\/a><\/sup>       The Renewal Movement, a group of independent figures and small left-wing       parties, had launched a democratic initiative, calling on Ben Ali to       release political prisoners prior to the elections and fielding its own       candidate for the presidency, Mohamed Ali Halouani. However, the PDP and       the Renewal Movement performed worse in the 2004 elections than in the       1999 elections.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6<\/a><\/sup>       The outcome led Suheir Ben Hassan of the Tunisian League of Human Rights       to assert that the authorities had rewarded loyal parties and punished       insubordinate ones.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">7<\/a><\/sup>       The lone opposition group with substantial public support, the illegal       Islamist party Al-Nahda, called for a boycott of the elections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Majoritarian electoral rules continue to facilitate the RCD\u2019s domination       of the Chamber of Deputies. While many democracies employ winner-take-all       (WTA) rules, WTA legislative elections offer particular advantages to       incumbents in countries emerging from single-party rule.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">8<\/a><\/sup>       In Tunisia, WTA elections prevent opposition parties from gradually       building up membership in the legislature, since a party can garner a       substantial portion of the national vote without winning in a single       constituency. In 2006, five opposition parties led by the PDP called on       the government to amend the constitution to abolish the de facto one-party       system and revise press, political party, and electoral legislation.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">9<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">In addition       to enforcing electoral rules that favored the ruling party, the government       denied equal campaigning opportunities for all parties in the Chamber of       Deputies elections. The Tunisian League of Human Rights report on the 2004       elections declared that Article 8 of the constitution, which guarantees       protection of the media and freedom of expression, was not being observed       by state officials. Journalists received instructions to cover opposition       activities only upon the request of the government. Opposition campaign       advertisements on radio and television were easily outnumbered by RCD ads,       and on state television the opposition ads ran when the fewest viewers       would be watching.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10<\/a><\/sup>       During the campaign, 77 percent of the print media coverage and 92 percent       of the electronic media coverage focused on the activities of President       Ben Ali and the ruling party.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref11\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">11<\/a><\/sup>       Campaign financing in Tunisia is carried out according to Law Number       97-48, promulgated on July 21, 1997, and usually consists of state       subsidies or loans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">It is       highly unlikely that legislative tallies in 2004 reflected the will of the       people. Ayachi Hamammi, a lawyer for the opposition democratic initiative,       declared that the elections were rigged through ballot stuffing, complete       media blackouts of candidate activities, media misinformation, and       censorship.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">12<\/a><\/sup>       The government also influenced election monitoring by vetting domestic and       international members of the National Electoral Observatory. The selected       international observers came from countries with their own electoral       shortcomings, including members of the League of Arab States, the African       Union, and the International Organization of la Francophonie.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref13\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">13<\/a><\/sup>       Representatives of more credible international organizations were passed       over by the National Electoral Observatory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The RCD won       a landslide victory in the 2005 municipal elections, continuing its       pattern of employing rural notables and state patronage to deliver the       vote of the peasantry, lock them into clientelistic relationships, and       alienate them from formal institutions such as the national agricultural       union, in which they were central participants during the first decades       after independence.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref14\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">14<\/a><\/sup>       State privatization and credit policies that have favored rural and urban       economic elites in recent years have helped create a new base of support       for the authoritarian regime. Partly counterbalancing these trends are       programs like 2626, a fund under presidential auspices that is designed to       aid poorer areas. For some elite supporters of the regime this amounts to       a form of coerced charity, as there is significant state pressure to       contribute to the fund.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref15\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">15<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The 2004       presidential elections in Tunisia were equally noncompetitive. According       to the constitution and electoral code, only the leaders of parties       holding seats in parliament are eligible to run for president. The loyal       opposition ran three candidates: Mohamed Bouchia, secretary general of the       PUP; Mounir Beji, president of the PSL; and Halouani of the Renewal       Movement. As noted, Halouani and his party became more critical of the       regime over time, and they paid for it at the ballot box.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref16\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">16<\/a><\/sup>       The other two candidates ran symbolic races in which they essentially       endorsed Ben Ali\u2019s reelection. The incumbent won 94.48 percent of the       vote, while Halouani, who received 0.95 percent, publicly decried the       results.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref17\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">17<\/a><\/sup>       There are concerns that the 2002 constitutional amendments eliminating the       three-term limit for presidents will allow Ben Ali to attain an       overwhelming victory in the 2009 election as well.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref18\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">18<\/a><\/sup>       Recent studies of political regimes with both democratic and authoritarian       traits have established a benchmark of 75 percent of the vote for       victorious incumbent presidential candidates as the key indication that       the regime may be considered authoritarian rather than democratic.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">19<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The 2002       constitutional amendment that ended the three-term limit for presidents       also created a second parliamentary chamber, the Chamber of Advisors. One       third of its members are chosen by an electoral college representing local       officials, another third are elected by trade unions and other       sociopolitical organizations, and the remaining third are chosen by the       president.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20<\/a><\/sup>       The creation of the second chamber allows the government to mitigate any       unfavorable votes in the lower house, a strategy utilized effectively by       the regime in Morocco.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">21<\/a><\/sup>       In July 2005 the government conducted elections for the new chamber. The       General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) refused to name candidates for       what it viewed as an undemocratic initiative.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">22<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       Tunisian president has nearly absolute powers. Both houses of parliament       operate under the control of the ruling party, which he dominates. The       president selects the prime minister and cabinet ministers, and appoints       the governors of Tunisia\u2019s 23 provinces. The executive initiates       legislation, and the president rules by decree when the legislature is not       in session. The president is commander in chief of the armed forces and       enjoys judicial immunity while in office.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">23<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       president\u2019s control of the legislative process is reinforced by the       judiciary\u2019s inability to serve as a balancing power. Despite the existence       of constitutional and legal guarantees of judicial independence, the       executive dominates the judicial domain. The president appoints members of       the Constitutional Council and exercises indirect authority over it       through powers of assignment, tenure, and transfer.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">24<\/a><\/sup>       The Tunisian civil service, while qualified and efficient, is also subject       to presidential control due to its hierarchical, centralized structure and       its strong links to the ruling party.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">25<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Associational life in Tunisia is stifled by various governmental measures.       In recent years the government has effectively repressed human rights       organizations that had been at the forefront of efforts to increase public       accountability. Among other tactics, the authorities used supporters to       infiltrate and undermine organizations. Counterterrorism legislation       passed on December 10, 2003, has become a tool to restrict the freedom to       establish organizations and political parties.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">26<\/a><\/sup>       The law, which aimed to support international efforts against terrorism       and money laundering, erodes defendants\u2019 rights and contains a broad       definition of terrorism that could be used to prosecute peaceful dissent.       During a World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) that took place in       Tunisia in 2005, opposition figures held a hunger strike to draw attention       to political prisoners. The government clamped down on nongovernmental       organizations (NGOs) during the run-up to the conference, and members of       human rights groups in particular faced arrest, imprisonment, and even       physical attacks in the street.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref27\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">27<\/a><\/sup>       Domestic donors to civic organizations and public policy institutes remain       subject to state pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The media       is tightly controlled in Tunisia, the internet is monitored, and freedom       of political expression is extremely limited even by regional standards.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref28\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">28<\/a><\/sup>       According to the Tunisian League of Human Rights, the Association of Women       Democrats, and the National Council for Freedom in Tunisia, the public did       not have access to fair and balanced media coverage during the 2004       legislative and presidential elections.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref29\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">29<\/a><\/sup>       The Tunisian media include a set of private and state-owned newspapers as       well as state-sponsored television and radio. Both public and private       media outlets produce material favorable to the government in most       instances. There are 245 privately owned magazines, but most are owned by       figures close to the president. Self-censorship is significant, and       repressive measures are taken against any outlets that offer oppositional       viewpoints; for example, most online publications, such as <em> <span>Kalimat<\/span><\/em> and <em> <span>Tunizine<\/span><\/em>, are accessible only       from abroad. The authorities frequently tell journalists whom to cover and       how.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The 2003       counterterrorism legislation further restricted freedom of the media and       freedom of expression. Tactics used against the press include publishing       delays, newspaper seizures at vending points by the Ministry of the       Interior, restriction of mail service, and banning of foreign newspapers       when unfavorable articles appear. The latter measure has affected       publications including <em><span>Le Monde<\/span><\/em>,      <em><span>Al-Hayat<\/span><\/em>, and <em> <span>Le Canard Enchaine<\/span><\/em>.       Independent websites are banned or censored, and journalists run the risk       of being jailed, tortured, fired, or exiled. In May 2004, 160 journalists       who had been arbitrarily fired created an association to defend the rights       of their profession. The Ministry of the Interior declared their action       illegal even though union activities are permitted under Tunisian law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">In May       2005, the authorities abolished the legal depot, a measure that required       all media to be vetted by the Ministry of the Interior before publication.       This positive step is tempered, however, by the regime\u2019s ongoing       commitment to controlling information flow at every possible level.       Separately, in February 2005, Tunisia\u2019s first private satellite television       channel was launched, with a second following soon after.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Despite the       adoption of the Tunis Commitment and the Tunis Agenda for the Information       Society at WSIS to ensure freedom of the press and cultural expression,       the Tunisian government continues to ignore the provisions or apply its       own interpretations.<strong><span> <\/span> <\/strong>A play that indirectly criticized the government\u2019s treatment of       human rights organizations, trade unions, and other civic associations was       staged in Tunisia in early 2007, but only after numerous delays and       editing to satisfy the Ministry of Culture. The play also criticized       radicalism and extremist Islamist groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Recommendations<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Elections       should be administered by a neutral authority that is insulated from the       ruling party, the RCD.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       electoral administration should be sufficiently competent and resourceful       to take specific precautions against fraud in the voting and vote       counting. This could be achieved, in part, by improving the training for       members of the electoral administration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The police,       military, and courts should treat competing candidates and parties       impartially throughout the electoral process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Participating parties should have equal access to the public media. This       could largely be attained by the enforcement of current laws.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"><font size=\"2\">Voting and vote counting at all       locations should be independently monitored, the secrecy of the ballot       should be protected, and procedures for organizing and counting the votes       should be transparent. International observers should not be handpicked by       the regime. <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Civil Liberties \u2013 3.11<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <strong> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Protection from state terror, unjustified imprisonment, and torture: 2.43<\/span><\/strong><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <strong><span>Gender equity: 4.25<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Rights of ethnic, religious, and       other distinct groups: 4.00<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Freedom of conscience and belief:       2.67<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Freedom of association and       assembly: 2.20<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">In Tunisia,       the state often violates the civil liberties of its citizens. It is not       uncommon for opponents of the regime to be harassed and arbitrarily       detained. The government frequently justifies crackdowns on peaceful       dissent by citing the threat of terrorism and religious extremism. There       are widespread and credible reports of the use of torture to obtain       incriminating<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>      statements.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref30\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">30<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Since the       implementation of the 2003 counterterrorism legislation, violations of       civil liberties have increased. Abuses in prison are widespread, and       appeals to the authorities from family members of the victims usually go       unheeded.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref31\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">31<\/a><\/sup>       At the end of 2006, a large number of people were seized by the police,       kept in custody without specific charges, and denied family contact and       medical attention, all of which are illegal under Tunisian criminal law.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref32\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">32<\/a><\/sup>       Even after their release, authorities monitored the dissidents, denied       them passports and most jobs, and warned them against speaking out about       politics and human rights. Citizens can register complaints about torture       and abuses of civil liberties at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights       and the Ministry of the Interior. However, these ministries do not respond       effectively to such petitions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">In March       and November 2006, President Ben Ali pardoned or conditionally released       about 1,800 political prisoners. Some were members of Al-Nahda who had       been incarcerated after mass trials in 1992, in which they had been       accused\u2014dubiously, in many cases\u2014of plotting to topple the government. The       number of political prisoners remains above 350. In another positive step       toward strengthening civil liberties, the government now permits the       International Committee of the Red Cross to inspect prisons.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref33\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">33<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Prison       conditions in Tunisia fall short of minimum standards. Prisoners suffer       long-term solitary confinement, violence, and sexual and physical abuse by       guards and fellow inmates, generally sponsored by the guards. Hygiene is       extremely poor, and prisoners rarely have access to showers and washing       facilities. Cells are overcrowded, with most prisoners forced to share       beds or sleep on the floor. Contagious diseases, particularly scabies, are       widespread, and prisoners lack adequate medical care. Additional       discriminatory and arbitrary measures worsen the conditions of detention.       Several political prisoners and prisoners of conscience have been kept in       solitary confinement for more than a decade, and prisoners have faced       legal obstructions when they have sought redress in the courts. Human       rights defenders, including lawyers who call on the authorities to protect       prisoners\u2019 rights, face intimidation and harassment.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref34\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">34<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Tunisia       faces a significant terrorist threat, especially along the border with       Algeria. The population is under heavy surveillance in these areas.<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>Security forces attacked Islamist militants at the end of       2006 and the beginning of 2007 south of Tunis, near the Algerian border.       The large-scale operation, carried out by police with support from army       units, led to the killing of 12 and the arrest of 15 alleged Islamist       militants, who were said to be members of the Algeria-based Salafist Group       for Call and Combat (GSPC).<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref35\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">35<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The state       in Tunisia has continued to be a regional leader in ensuring that women       enjoy the same civil and political rights as men. The government       systematically promotes the participation of women in parliament, leading       to a ratio of female lawmakers that is high by global standards.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref36\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">36<\/a><\/sup>       For the 2004 legislative elections, President Ben Ali ordered that at       least one in four of the ruling party\u2019s candidates be women, and set the       same figure as a goal for women in government service. Although Tunisia is       at the forefront among Arab countries in providing opportunities for       women, patriarchal cultural norms have some lingering effects.<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>The number of women and girls wearing the <em> <span>hijab<\/span><\/em>, or headscarf, has       increased in recent years. The Tunisian authorities have responded by       banning the hijab as a form of sectarian dress that acts as a cover for       dangerous political extremism. The government does not acknowledge the       wearing of the hijab as a religious right, personal choice, or cultural       symbol, associating it only with deleterious political motives.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref37\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">37<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Tunisia is       a largely<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>      homogeneous Sunni Arab country. Ninety-eight percent of the population is       Muslim. The indigenous Berber population has long been Arabized, as has       the small nomadic population of the south. Just as women are not permitted       to wear the hijab, men may not wear beards. However, the government       generally respects freedom of worship, and other signs of Islamic       religiosity are allowed. The small number of Christians, Jews, and Baha\u2019i       members benefit from government measures that guarantee their religious       freedom. Still, bias in the media, especially against Jews, does occur.       The international terrorist group al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for an       unusual April 2002 attack on the most famous synagogue in Tunisia, the El       Ghriba synagogue in Djerba, but the bombing has not been followed by       similar incidents, likely due to state vigilance. The government attempts       to control the appointments of religious leaders, for instance by paying       the salary of the grand rabbi of the Jewish community.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref38\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">38<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       security apparatus actively constrains what it views as signs of Islamist       extremism. Most political prisoners are Islamists, and some have been       confined for a decade or more without receiving a fair trial. Religious       political parties, including Al-Nahda, are banned. Al-Nahda has claimed       support for democracy and nonviolence, and has a genuine popular       following, making the ban a serious obstacle to truly representative       multiparty elections. The battle between violent Islamist extremists and       state security forces<strong><span> <\/span> <\/strong>has been utilized as a cover to justify repression of peaceful       dissidents of various political stripes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       Tunisian state has taken progressive measures to modify existing laws and       practices that constitute discrimination against people with disabilities.       The Nobel Prize\u2013winning organization Handicap International has been       working in Tunisia since 1992. Services and best practices for disabled       people are strong in coastal areas but weaker in the country\u2019s interior.       Those living in the interior often lack access to basic health centers and       rehabilitation units.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref39\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">39<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       Tunisian state does not guarantee rights of association and assembly.       Sociopolitical organizations are tightly controlled by the government, and<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>public demonstrations, whether peaceful or not, are rarely       allowed. Since 2004, the authorities have banned numerous demonstrations       called by opposition parties, human rights organizations, unions, and       student groups. The police disperse protesters by force when       demonstrations do occur.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref40\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">40<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">In recent       years human rights groups and lawyers have been the foremost victims of       the state\u2019s violation of association and assembly rights. The Tunisian       League of Human Rights has faced systematic repression and subversion,       including the replacement of its leadership. According to Human Rights       Watch, human rights dissidents \u201care subject to heavy surveillance,       arbitrary travel bans, dismissal from work, interruptions in phone       service, physical assaults, harassment of relatives, suspicious acts of       vandalism and theft, and slander campaigns in the press.\u201d<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref41\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">41<\/a><\/sup>       Similar steps have been taken against the lawyers\u2019 syndicate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <em><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Recommendations<\/span><\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      The government should cease using antiterrorist laws against peaceful       dissidents.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      The state should improve transparency and oversight in the trial and       detention system.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      The new laws, institutions, and actions that limit the associational       rights and independence of human rights groups and the lawyers\u2019 syndicate       should be rescinded. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      The government should guarantee the right of peaceful Islamists to       assemble and participate in politics. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Rule of Law \u2013 2.92<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <strong> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Independent judiciary: 2.20<\/span><\/strong><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <strong><span>Primacy of rule of law in civil       and criminal matters: 2.67<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Accountability of security forces       and military to civilian authorities: 1.75<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Protection of property rights:       4.00<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Equal treatment under the law:       4.00<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       Tunisian judiciary is not independent of the executive branch. The       president nominates judges and magistrates and heads the Supreme Judicial       Council, which oversees judicial matters. Tunisia introduced a       Constitutional Council system in 1987 by presidential decree. The council       rules on the constitutionality of legislation referred to it by the       president, who appoints its members. The president also dominates the       Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       executive branch has recently increased its interference in judicial       matters. In 2005, the authorities removed the elected leadership of the       Tunisian Association of Magistrates after it called for more judicial       independence, installing a progovernment leadership in its place.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref42\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">42<\/a><\/sup>       In May 2006, a new law created a state-run academy for the training of       lawyers, giving broad authority to the Ministry of Justice and Human       Rights to decide who may enter the academy and go on to practice law.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref43\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">43<\/a><\/sup>       The legal academy law, along with a strategy of using regime supporters to       infiltrate and undermine the lawyers\u2019 syndicate, removed one of the few       centers of opposition and independence from the Tunisian political scene.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Islamists       and political dissidents suffer from discrimination in the administration       of justice. Civilians suspected of terrorism are tried in military courts       without the right of appeal, and the number of cases of this sort has       increased since the implementation of the antiterrorism law in 2003. Aside       from the problems created by the new legal training law, lawyers for       defendants in political cases face obstacles to effective representation,       including denial of access to their clients and relevant government files.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref44\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">44<\/a><\/sup>       Prosecutors report to the Ministry of Justice, but the Ministry of the       Interior also plays a role and prevents prosecutorial independence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">In theory,       every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty; however, in       practice, this is not always the case. Defendants have a right to legal       counsel during trial and arraignment, but not during pre-arraignment       detention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Once known       for its civilian rule, the Tunisian state has become increasingly       dominated by the military and security services since President Ben Ali, a       general and former director general of national security at the Ministry       of the Interior, came to power in 1987. Today, the RCD\u2019s monopoly on power       is bolstered by the military, security, intelligence, and national police       services. The coercive apparatus of the state actively intimidates       dissenters during elections, openly keeping a watchful eye on the       proceedings. The security services subject suspected dissidents to heavy       surveillance, physical assaults, arbitrary arrests, and glaring violations       of their human rights. Military tribunals try cases involving military       personnel and civilians accused of crimes affecting national security.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref45\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">45<\/a><\/sup>       The state\u2019s definitions of \u201cnational security\u201d and \u201ccrimes\u201d have been       quite broad, leading to violations of human rights and complaints by       relatives of dissidents and numerous human rights organizations.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref46\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">46<\/a><\/sup>       Members of the security forces are not held accountable for the abuses       they commit. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       government has made extensive progress in the protection of property       rights in the last two decades as it has worked to liberalize the economy.       All citizens have the right to own property. However, small-scale farmers       tend to lose disputes over land ownership. In the 1990s, Tunisia began the       final stages of the privatization of state-owned land that had been       reclaimed from the French and turned into agricultural cooperatives. The       peasants working on these cooperatives were often descendants of the       land\u2019s occupants before French colonization, but state privatization       policy favored large landowners over these peasants.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref47\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">47<\/a><\/sup>       There is also controversy concerning the settlement of property rights and       titles for collective land. Political power and corruption played an       important role during the privatization of customary land tenure.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref48\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">48<\/a><\/sup>       While contracts in Tunisia are enforceable, conflicts have arisen due to       the political nature of privatization policies. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Recommendations<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Urgent       steps should be taken to strengthen the power and independence of the       judicial branch, especially with respect to politically sensitive cases.<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Military       courts should no longer be used to try civilians, and the scope of       \u201cnational security\u201d in criminal law should be clearly and narrowly       defined.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Detained       suspects should be promptly charged and processed, or cleared and       released. The common practice of detaining suspects for long periods       without charges should be abolished.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       government needs to institute mechanisms to improve justice and       transparency in the distribution of remaining collective land.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Anticorruption and Transparency \u2013 3.08<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <strong> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Environment to protect against corruption: 3.20<\/span><\/strong><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <strong><span>Existence of laws and ethical       standards between private and public sectors: 4.00<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Enforcement of anticorruption       laws: 2.25<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Governmental transparency: 2.86<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">As in other       countries, economic liberalization in Tunisia has reorganized       opportunities for corruption and rent-seeking.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref49\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">49<\/a><\/sup>       The process, which accelerated in the 1990s, has been guided by patronage       networks that intertwine public office and personal interest, particularly       at the upper echelons of the state. State-owned assets have been       privatized in an uncompetitive manner, and monopolies have been       transferred intact to the private sector without an adequate regulatory       framework.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref50\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">50<\/a><\/sup>       Furthermore, financial disclosures and asset declarations of public       officials are not open to public and media scrutiny. These shortcomings       point to a genuine need for effective auditing mechanisms and other       controls as Tunisia makes the transition to a market economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The family       of the president\u2019s wife and other well-placed families have been       implicated in improper business deals. Having started with few if any       economic holdings, the Trabelsi clan\u2014brothers and sisters of the       president\u2019s wife Leila\u2014has been accused of improperly accumulating assets       since her marriage to the president, including the only private radio       station in the country, Radio Mosaique; the country\u2019s most important       airline and hotel company, Carthago Airlines; and important stakes in the       wholesale, service, and agribusiness sectors. Similar dynamics exist in       rural areas, where a rent-seeking elite has taken advantage of the       privatization of state land. More productive small- and medium-scale       farmers have been denied access to these resources amid the new policy       focus on privatization, a market economy, and exports.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Tunisia\u2019s       score on Transparency International\u2019s Corruption Perceptions Index has       worsened over the past two years, dropping from 5 to 4.8 on a 10-point       scale, with 10 representing the lowest level of perceived corruption.       Countries with a score of 5 or below are deemed to have a serious       corruption problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Indices of       economic freedom give Tunisia average grades and show some progress in       recent years. The Heritage Foundation\u2019s 2007 Index of Economic Freedom       ranked Tunisia above the regional average, at 6 out of 17 countries, as       well as 1.8 percentage points higher than in 2006. The index did note       complex trade regulations and opaque bureaucratic practices that increase       opportunities for corruption, but Tunisia received relatively high marks       for freedom from government intervention in the economy. It is also       comparatively easy to start, operate, and close a business in Tunisia.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref51\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">51<\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Two public       institutions are centrally involved in the enforcement of anticorruption       laws. The Cour des Comptes (National Audit Office) is charged with       auditing public-sector accounts, while the Disciplinary Financial Court is       responsible for punishing violations of financial laws and regulations by       public authorities. However, these institutions are likely rendered       ineffective by the reality of patronage-based privatization in Tunisia and       the involvement of the president\u2019s family and high government officials in       much of the malfeasance. People who denounce official corruption risk       persecution or imprisonment. In this environment, whistleblowers,       anticorruption activists, and investigators do not feel secure about       reporting cases of bribery and graft.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Historically, corruption has not been pervasive in higher education in       Tunisia, but there are growing signs that well-connected officials       influence the outcome of exams, appointments, and staff transfers.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref52\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">52<\/a><\/sup>       The state continues to make efforts and progress in tax collection,       administration, and auditing, in part by gradually enacting legislation       that draws on internationally accepted standards.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref53\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">53<\/a><\/sup>       The administration and distribution of foreign assistance appears to be       devoid of corruption, although the government maintains control of any       funding for civil society organizations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">According       to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Tunisia has made substantial       progress in some aspects of governmental transparency since the state       initiated market reforms in the 1980s. Public access to government       information has been improved through the posting of more data on the       internet. Since 2002 Tunisia has participated in the IMF\u2019s Special Data       Dissemination Standard in order to implement international best practices       with respect to economic and financial statistics. Tunisia has also       participated in World Bank and IMF programs on financial policy       transparency, fiscal transparency, banking supervision, securities       regulation, and insurance supervision.<sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172#ref54\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">54<\/a><\/sup><strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>This transparency drive has obviously not included the       introduction of regulatory structures to prevent privatization that       encourages rent-seeking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">The       executive branch controls the budgetary process in Tunisia, and it keeps       areas that it deems politically sensitive out of public view. The budget       is not subject to meaningful legislative scrutiny. The state does not       ensure transparency, open bidding, or effective competition in the       awarding of government contracts; instead, contracts often go to       government cronies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <em><span lang=\"EN-GB\"><strong><font size=\"2\">      Recommendations<\/font><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      A regulatory framework needs to be established to prevent any remaining       state assets from being transferred to private monopolies.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Tunisia should continue adopting auditing mechanisms that are consistent       with international standards.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      The government should make public financial disclosures and asset       declarations of all high level officials. An independent body should be       established to enforce compliance and verify submitted information.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Tunisia should strengthen critical institutions such as the central bank,       the finance ministry, the legal code, the judicial system, regulatory       bodies, and revenue authorities so as to maintain macroeconomic stability,       protect property rights, and guarantee contracts.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Author<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Stephen J. King is associate professor of government at Georgetown       University.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"><font size=\"2\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong><font size=\"2\">Notes<\/font><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <\/font><font> <span lang=\"AR-TN\"> <\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"FR\">1<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"FR\">       Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF), <em><span>      Silence, On Reprime<\/span><\/em> (Paris: RSF, Rapports Moyen-Orient, 199<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">2<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Many have argued that socioeconomic development fosters democracy. For an       early formulation see Seymour Martin Lipset, \u201cSome Social Prerequisites of       Democracy: Economic Development and Political Legitimacy,\u201d <em> <span>American Political Science Review<\/span><\/em>       53 (March 1959).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">3<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Aysha Ramadan, \u201cForegone Conclusion,\u201d <em> <span>Al Ahram Weekly<\/span><\/em>, October       28\u2013November 3, 2004.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">4<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       John P. Entelis, \u201cThe Sad State of Political Reform in Tunisia,\u201d <em> <span>Arab Reform Bulletin<\/span><\/em> 2, no.       10 (November 2004).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">5<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/font><span lang=\"EN-GB\"><font><span lang=\"AR-TN\">       \u201cQ&amp;A: Tunisia Votes,\u201d BBC News, October 23, 2004. <\/span><\/font> <font> <span lang=\"AR-TN\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/1\/hi\/world\/middle_east\/3754410.stm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/1\/hi\/world\/middle_east\/3754410.stm<\/a><font><span lang=\"AR-TN\">.<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><font><span lang=\"AR-TN\"><font><span lang=\"AR-TN\"> <\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">6<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ibid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">7<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ibid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">8<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Marsha Pripstein Posusney, \u201cMultiparty Elections in the Arab World,\u201d in      <em><span>Authoritarianism in the <\/span><\/em> <\/span><em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Middle East and North Africa: Regimes and Resistance<\/span><\/em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">,       ed. Posusney and Michele Penner Angrist (Boulder: Lynne Rienner Press,       2005), 98.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">9<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Michelle Dunn,<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>      \u201cTunisia: Crackdown on Activists,\u201d <em><span>      Arab Reform Bulletin<\/span><\/em> 4, no. 3 (April 2006).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">10<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Tunisian League of Human Rights, Democratic Association of Tunisian Women,       and National Council for Tunisian Liberty,<em><span>       Report on the Presidential and Legislative Elections in Tunisia of October       2004<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">11<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ibid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">12<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ibid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">13<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ramadan, \u201cForegone Conclusion.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">14<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Stephen J. King, <em><span>Liberalization       Against Democracy: The Local Politics of Economic Reform in <\/span><\/em> <\/span><em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">      Tunisia<\/span><\/em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003). <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">15<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Stephen J. King, \u201cFailed Democratization in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and       Syria,\u201d <em><span>Political Science Quarterly<\/span><\/em>       (forthcoming).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">16<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ramadan, \u201cForegone Conclusion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">17<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Entelis, \u201cThe Sad State\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">18<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       \u201cBen Ali\u2019s Dictatorship Is Creating More Islamists,\u201d <em> <span>Daily Star<\/span><\/em>, January 26, 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">19<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Larry Diamond, \u201cElections Without Democracy: Thinking About Hybrid       Regimes,\u201d <em><span>Journal of Democracy<\/span><\/em>       13, no. 2 (April 2002).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">20<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Information obtained from the Tunisian government website,       http:\/\/www.tunisiaonline.com\/government\/government1.html.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">21<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Mohamed Charfi, <em><span>Reforming Public       Management and Development: The Case of <\/span><\/em><\/span><em> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Tunisia<\/span><\/em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">,       (Beirut: International Centre for Prison Studies [ICPS]\u2013Lebanon, 2004).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">22<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Senate of France, \u201cSenates of the World: Tunisia,\u201d       http:\/\/senat.fr\/senatsdumonde\/english\/tunisie.html.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">23<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, \u201cArab Political Systems:       Baseline Information and Reforms\u2014Tunisia,\u201d Carnegie Endowment for       International Peace, September 2, 2005,       http:\/\/www.carnegieendowment.org\/files\/Tunisia_APS.doc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">24<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Programme on Governance in the Arab World (POGAR), \u201cDemocratic Governance:       Judiciary\u2014Tunisia,\u201d United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),<strong><span> <\/span><\/strong>http:\/\/www.undp-pogar.org\/countries\/judiciary.asp?cid=20.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">25<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Commission of the European Communities, <em> <span>Country Report <\/span><\/em><\/span><em> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Tunisia,       2004<\/span><\/em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       (Brussels: Commission of the European Communities, May 12, 2004),       http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/world\/enp\/pdf\/country\/tunisia_enp_country_report_2004_en.pdf.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">26<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Bassam Bounenni, \u201cTunisia: Closing Off Avenues for Dissent,\u201d <em> <span>Arab Reform Bulletin<\/span><\/em> 4, no. 6       (July 2006).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">27<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       \u201cHunger for Change,\u201d <em><span>Tunezine<\/span><\/em>,<em><span> <\/span><\/em>October 11, 2005, www.tunezine.com\/article.php3?idarticle=977.       See also Amnesty International (AI), \u201cTunisia: Government Repression       \u201cMaking a Mockery\u201d of World Summit on Information Society,\u201d news release,       November 16, 2005.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">28<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Entelis, \u201cThe Sad State\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">29<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Tunisian League of Human Rights, <em><span>      Report on the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections<\/span><\/em>\u2026; see       also RSF, \u201cTunisia: Annual Report 2005,\u201d       http:\/\/www.rsf.org\/article.php3?id article=13302.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">30<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Human Rights Watch (HRW), <em><span>World       Report 2007<\/span><\/em> (New York: HRW, 2007).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">31<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       \u201cScandale a Borj Erroumi, l\u2019Abou Ghraib tunisien,\u201d <em> <span>Tunisnews<\/span><\/em>, April 28, 2004,       http:\/\/www.tunisnews.net\/scandal.htm. <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">32<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       AI, \u201cIncommunicado Detention\/Fear of Torture,\u201d news release, January 18,       2007.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">33<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       HRW, <em><span>World Report 2007<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">34<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       AI, <em><span>Report 2006 <\/span><\/em>(New       York: AI, 2006)<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">35<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Riccardo Fabiani, \u201cTerrorism Risk Remains in North Africa,\u201d World Security       Network, February 14, 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">36<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Entelis, \u201cThe Sad State\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">37<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       \u201cHijab Ban Debate Heats Up in Tunisia,\u201d Islam Online, October 7, 2006,       http:\/\/www.islamicawakening.com\/viewnews.php?newsID=8210.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">38<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, <em> <span>Civil Society and Democratization in the       Arab World, Annual Report 2004<\/span><\/em> (Cairo: Ibn Khaldun Center for       Development Studies, July 2005). <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">39<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Handicap International, \u201cTunisia,\u201d Handicap International,       http:\/\/www.handicap-international.org.uk\/page_212.php, accessed June 22,       2007.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">40<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       HRW, \u201cTunisia: Protests Ahead of Global Information Summit,\u201d news release,       March 16, 2005.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">41<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       HRW, <em><span>World Report 2007<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">42<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ibid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">43<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Bounenni, \u201cTunisia: Closing Off Avenues\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">44<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       HRW, \u201cHuman Rights Overview: Tunisia,\u201d HRW,       http:\/\/hrw.org\/english\/docs\/2006\/01\/18\/tunisi12232.htm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">45<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Carnegie Endowment, \u201cArab Political Systems\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">46<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       HRW, \u201cHuman Rights Overview: Tunisia.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">47<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       King, <em><span>Liberalization<\/span><\/em>.      <\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">48<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Ibid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">49<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Steven Heydemann, ed., <em><span>Networks of       Privilege in the <\/span><\/em><\/span><em> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Middle East<\/span><\/em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       (New York: Macmillan, 2004), 6.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">50<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Hector Schamis, <em><span>Re-Forming the State:       The Politics of Privatization in <\/span><\/em><\/span><em> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Latin       America and Europe<\/span><\/em><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2002), 4.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">51<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Heritage Foundation, <em><span>2007 Index of       Economic Freedom<\/span><\/em> (Washington, D.C.: Heritage Foundation,       2007).<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">52<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       Neziha Rejiba, \u201cNo Respect for the Rules of Democracy: Ben Ali\u2019s Young       Sharks,\u201d <em><span>Le Monde Diplomatique<\/span><\/em>,       March 2006.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">53<\/span><\/sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">       International Monetary Fund, \u201cIMF Executive Board Concludes 2006 Article       IV Consultation with Tunisia,\u201d news release, June 8, 2006.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <sup><span lang=\"EN-GB\">54<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/font><span lang=\"EN-GB\"><font><span lang=\"AR-TN\">       POGAR, \u201cDemocratic Governance: Financial Transparency\u2014Tunisia,\u201d UNDP,<\/span><\/font><font> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pogar.org\/countries\/finances.asp?cid=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">      http:\/\/www.pogar.org\/countries\/finances.asp?cid=20<\/a>.<\/font><\/span><font><span lang=\"AR-TN\"> <\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      (Source: le rapport annuel de \u00ab\u00a0Freedom House\u00a0\u00bb, le 1<sup>er<\/sup> ocobre       2007)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      Lien:<\/span><\/b><span lang=\"FR\"> <\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span lang=\"FR\">      http:\/\/www.freedomhouse.org\/modules\/publications\/ccr\/modPrintVersion.cfm?edition=8&amp;ccrpage=37&amp;ccrcountry=172<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <strong><span lang=\"FR\">On       \u00e9crit au journal \u00ab\u00a0Le Temps\u00a0\u00bb<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: red;\"><font size=\"3\">Statut des       ma\u00eetrisards dans les \u00e9coles primaires priv\u00e9es<\/font><\/h2>\n<p><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <\/span><span lang=\"AR-TN\"> <\/p>\n<p> <i>Nous avons re\u00e7u de M. Walid Ferchichi cette correspondance o\u00f9 il       conteste le sort r\u00e9serv\u00e9 aux ma\u00eetrisards dans les \u00e9coles primaires       priv\u00e9es.<\/i><\/p>\n<p> <i>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p>      L&rsquo;avenant n\u00b07 \u00e0 la convention d&rsquo;enseignement priv\u00e9 (JORT n\u00b08 du 27\/1\/2006)       a institu\u00e9 le grade de professeur d&rsquo;enseignement primaire pour les \u00e9coles       primaires priv\u00e9es.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Toutefois, la r\u00e9mun\u00e9ration pr\u00e9vue pour ce grade destin\u00e9 aux titulaires       d&rsquo;une ma\u00eetrise est inf\u00e9rieure \u00e0 celle des ma\u00eetres d&rsquo;application ( grade de       promotion pour les ma\u00eetres principaux titulaires d&rsquo;un dipl\u00f4me       universitaire bac+2 :J.O.R.T. n\u00b015 du 21\/02\/1997).<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Par ailleurs, le nombre d&rsquo;heures \u00e0 effectuer par les professeurs       d&rsquo;enseignement primaire (25h) est sup\u00e9rieur \u00e0 celui effectu\u00e9 par les       ma\u00eetres d&rsquo;application (20h) ; et ce, contrairement \u00e0 la logique qui       consiste \u00e0 attribuer les avantages selon la qualification professionnelle       de chaque grade dont la hi\u00e9rarchie est tributaire de la nature du dipl\u00f4me       obtenu.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      A titre d&rsquo;illustration, les ma\u00eetrisards enseignant dans les \u00e9coles       primaires publiques, b\u00e9n\u00e9ficient, en vertu du d\u00e9cret n\u00b02000-2379 du 17       Octobre 2000, du grade de professeur d&rsquo;\u00e9coles primaires. L&rsquo;article 2 de ce       d\u00e9cret stipule que : \u00ab Les professeurs d&rsquo;\u00e9coles primaires b\u00e9n\u00e9ficient du       m\u00eame traitement de base, indemnit\u00e9 kilom\u00e9trique, prime de rendement et       prime p\u00e9dagogique allou\u00e9s au grade de professeur de l&rsquo;enseignement       secondaire \u00bb.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Compte tenu des orientations visant l&rsquo;int\u00e9gration et l&rsquo;encouragement de       titulaires de dipl\u00f4mes universitaires, il est propos\u00e9 d&rsquo;envisager, lors       des prochaines n\u00e9gociations sociales, de pr\u00e9voir, pour les ma\u00eetrisards       enseignant dans des \u00e9coles primaires priv\u00e9es, une r\u00e9mun\u00e9ration et un       nombre d&rsquo;heures conformes \u00e0 leur grade et correspondant \u00e0 la hi\u00e9rarchie de       leur dipl\u00f4me par rapport \u00e0 ceux des autres grades et ce, \u00e0 l&rsquo;instar de       leurs coll\u00e8gues du secteur public.<\/p>\n<p> <\/span> <\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      Walid Ferchichi<span dir=\"rtl\"> <\/span><\/span> <span lang=\"FR-CH\">      \u00a0&#8211; <\/span> <span lang=\"FR\">      Tunis<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">      (Source\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0Le Temps\u00a0\u00bb, (Quotidien \u2013 Tunis), le 4 octobre 2007)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b><i><u><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/u><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: red;\"><font><strong>Tests ADN en France<\/strong><\/font><\/h2>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span lang=\"FR\"><strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: red;\"><font>Le Mrap demande la saisine       du Conseil constitutionnel<\/font><\/h2>\n<p><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"FR\"> <strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>      Reuters, le 4 octobre 2007      <span lang=\"FR-CH\">\u00a0\u00e0 <\/span> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">      11<\/span>h<span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">28<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <b> <span lang=\"FR\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p>      PARIS, 4 octobre (Reuters) &#8211; Le Mrap a d\u00e9nonc\u00e9 jeudi la faute \u00e9thique que       constitue \u00e0 ses yeux l&rsquo;adoption de l&rsquo;amendement permettant le recours aux       tests ADN dans le cadre du regroupement familial et r\u00e9clam\u00e9 la saisine du       Conseil Constitutionnel.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Le S\u00e9nat a adopt\u00e9 dans la nuit un amendement au projet de loi sur       l&rsquo;immigration remani\u00e9 qui pr\u00e9voit d\u00e9sormais de soumettre les tests       g\u00e9n\u00e9tiques \u00e0 l&rsquo;autorisation d&rsquo;un magistrat civil, de les limiter \u00e0 la       recherche d&rsquo;une preuve de filiation avec la m\u00e8re et de les rembourser.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      \u00ab\u00a0Malgr\u00e9 les am\u00e9nagements de derni\u00e8re minute permettant soit disant       d&rsquo;encadrer, il reste que ce vote repr\u00e9sente une r\u00e9gression, une tache qui       souille la page de l&rsquo;histoire des droits et des libert\u00e9s fondamentales\u00a0\u00bb,       \u00e9crit le pr\u00e9sident du Mrap, Mouloud Aounit, dans un communiqu\u00e9.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      \u00ab\u00a0Ce vote reste une faute \u00e9thique, morale. Il repr\u00e9sente une humiliation \u00e0       l&rsquo;endroit d&rsquo;hommes, de femmes, d&rsquo;enfants en qu\u00eate d&rsquo;une vie digne. Cet       amendement est r\u00e9v\u00e9lateur de l&rsquo;autisme et de l&rsquo;acharnement obsessionnel de       ce gouvernement contre l&rsquo;immigration\u00a0\u00bb, poursuit-il.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Le Mrap \u00ab\u00a0encourage la mobilisation citoyenne\u00a0\u00bb contre ce texte et \u00ab\u00a0attend       que tous les moyens soient mis en \u0153uvre, y compris la saisine du Conseil       constitutionnel, pour faire barrage \u00e0 ce projet qui structure de mani\u00e8re       racisante la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 fran\u00e7aise\u00a0\u00bb. <\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p align=\"center\"> <span><b> <span lang=\"FR\"><font size=\"3\">      P\u00e9tition contre les tests ADN<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><b><span lang=\"FR\">        \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p> <b> <strong><span>En instaurant des tests ADN pour       prouver une filiation dans le cadre d\u2019un regroupement familial,       l\u2019amendement Mariani, adopt\u00e9 par l\u2019Assembl\u00e9e Nationale, fait entrer la       g\u00e9n\u00e9tique dans l\u2019\u00e8re d\u2019une utilisation non plus simplement m\u00e9dicale et       judiciaire mais dor\u00e9navant d\u00e9volue au contr\u00f4le \u00e9tatique.<\/span><\/strong> <strong><span>Cette nouvelle donne pose trois       s\u00e9ries de probl\u00e8mes fondamentaux.<\/span><\/strong><\/b>              Tout d\u2019abord, des probl\u00e8mes d\u2019ordre \u00e9thique. En effet, l\u2019utilisation de       tests ADN pour savoir si un enfant peut venir ou non rejoindre un parent       en France pose d\u2019embl\u00e9e cette question : depuis quand la g\u00e9n\u00e9tique va       t\u2019elle d\u00e9cider de qui a le droit ou non de s\u2019\u00e9tablir sur un territoire ?       Au-del\u00e0, depuis quand une famille devrait-elle se d\u00e9finir en termes       g\u00e9n\u00e9tiques ? Sont p\u00e8res ou m\u00e8res les personnes qui apportent amour, soin       et \u00e9ducation \u00e0 ceux et celles qu\u2019ils reconnaissent comme \u00e9tant leurs       enfants.              Ensuite, cet amendement fait voler en \u00e9clats un consensus pr\u00e9cieux dans un       champ \u2013 la g\u00e9n\u00e9tique \u2013 qui ne peut \u00eatre durablement dynamique en mati\u00e8re       de recherche que sur la base de ce consensus qui \u00e9loignait du domaine du       possible des utilisations de la g\u00e9n\u00e9tique potentiellement contraires \u00e0       notre id\u00e9e de la civilisation et de la libert\u00e9.              Enfin, cet amendement s\u2019inscrit dans un contexte de suspicion g\u00e9n\u00e9ralis\u00e9e       et r\u00e9currente envers les \u00e9trangers qui en vient d\u00e9sormais \u00e0 menacer le       vivre ensemble. Car tout le monde s\u2019accorde \u00e0 dire que la fraude au       regroupement familial ne peut \u00eatre que marginale au regard des chiffres       d\u2019enfants annuellement concern\u00e9s et au regard de l\u2019absence de raison       substantielle qu\u2019il y aurait \u00e0 frauder dans ce domaine. En effet, quelle       \u00e9trange raison pousserait les immigr\u00e9s \u00e0 faire venir massivement dans       notre pays des enfants qu\u2019ils sauraient ne pas \u00eatre les leurs ? Autrement       dit, l\u2019amendement instaurant les tests ADN n\u2019a pas pour fonction de lutter       contre une fraude hypoth\u00e9tique mais bien de participer \u00e0 cette vision des       immigr\u00e9s que nous r\u00e9cusons avec force.              Nous sommes donc face \u00e0 un amendement qui, sur les plans \u00e9thique,       scientifique et du vivre ensemble introduit des changements profond\u00e9ment       n\u00e9gatifs. C\u2019est pourquoi, nous, signataires de cette p\u00e9tition, appelons le       Pr\u00e9sident de la R\u00e9publique et le Gouvernement \u00e0 retirer cette disposition,       sous peine de contribuer, en introduisant l\u2019id\u00e9e que l\u2019on pourrait       apporter une r\u00e9ponse biologique \u00e0 une question politique, \u00e0 briser       durablement les conditions d\u2019un d\u00e9bat d\u00e9mocratique, serein et constructif       sur les questions li\u00e9es \u00e0 l\u2019immigration.<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <strong>P<\/strong><span><b><u>remiers       signataires :<\/u><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>             \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"680\">\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p> <strong><span lang=\"FR\">          Isabelle Adjani<\/span><\/strong><span lang=\"FR\">,           actrice           <strong><span>Raymond Aubrac<\/span><\/strong>,           ancien r\u00e9sistant           <strong><span>Fran\u00e7ois Bayrou<\/span><\/strong>,           pr\u00e9sident du Modem           <strong><span>Laurent Fabius<\/span><\/strong>,           ancien Premier ministre           <strong><span>Dan Franck<\/span><\/strong>,           \u00e9crivain           <strong><span>Ren\u00e9 Frydman<\/span><\/strong>,           professeur de gyn\u00e9cologie-obst\u00e9trique           <strong><span>Fran\u00e7ois Hollande<\/span><\/strong>,           premier secr\u00e9taire du PS           <strong><span>Axel Kahn<\/span><\/strong>,           g\u00e9n\u00e9ticien           <strong><span>Bernard-Henri L\u00e9vy<\/span><\/strong>,           philosophe           <strong><span>Pierre Mauroy<\/span><\/strong>,           ancien Premier ministre           <strong><span>Jean-Claude Mailly<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p> <strong><span lang=\"FR\">          Jeanne Moreau,<\/span><\/strong><span lang=\"FR\">           actrice           <strong><span>Patrick Pelloux<\/span><\/strong>,           m\u00e9decin urgentiste           <strong><span>S\u00e9gol\u00e8ne Royal<\/span><\/strong>,           pr\u00e9sidente de R\u00e9gion           <strong><span>Jorge Semprun<\/span><\/strong>,           \u00e9crivain, homme politique espagnol           <strong><span>Dominique Sopo<\/span><\/strong>,           pr\u00e9sident de SOS Racisme           <strong><span>Francis Spizner<\/span><\/strong>,           avocat \u00e0 la cour           <strong><span>Bernard Thibault<\/span><\/strong>,           secr\u00e9taire g\u00e9n\u00e9ral de la CGT           <strong><span>Lilian Thuram<\/span><\/strong>,           footballeur professionnel           <strong><span>Philippe Val<\/span><\/strong>,           directeur de Charlie Hebdo           <strong><span>Dominique de Villepin<\/span><\/strong>,           ancien Premier ministre<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <span>Pour signer la p\u00e9tition en ligne,       cliquez sur le lien suivant :\u00a0<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.touchepasamonadn.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"http:\/\/www.touchepasamonadn.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span lang=\"FR\">http:\/\/www.touchepasamonadn.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Retransmis par\u00a0       Mireille BERTHO       D\u00e9l\u00e9gu\u00e9e R\u00e9gionale de la Ligue des Droits de l&rsquo;Homme en Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes        <a href=\"mailto:LDHrhonealpes@aol.com\">LDHrhonealpes@aol.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<div> <strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font>Nahr el Bared<\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/strong>On apprend que dix Tunisiens figurent parmi les       terroristes de Nahr El Bared au Liban.       Ils sont \u00e2g\u00e9s entre 19 et 25 ans. Un seul d\u2019entre eux a \u00e9t\u00e9 arr\u00eat\u00e9, les       autres seraient encore en fuite.       \u00a0       <strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font>Situation des Droits de l\u2019Homme<\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/strong>       Le Conseil des Droits de l\u2019Homme de l\u2019ONU a proc\u00e9d\u00e9 la semaine derni\u00e8re \u00e0       un tirage au sort de l\u2019ordre dans lequel les \u00c9tats seront soumis \u00e0 la       nouvelle proc\u00e9dure d\u2019examen p\u00e9riodique universel.       A la lumi\u00e8re de ce tirage, le Bahrein, l\u2019Equateur et la Tunisie seront les       premiers pays sur un total de seize d\u00e9sign\u00e9s pour \u00eatre soumis \u00e0 un       processus de v\u00e9rification du respect des Droits de l\u2019Homme \u00e9tabli par les       Nations Unies.       La s\u00e9lection en vue de cette \u201cV\u00e9rification universelle p\u00e9riodique\u201d fait       partie d\u2019un calendrier pr\u00e9voyant une v\u00e9rification syst\u00e9matique de la       situation dans les 192 pays membres avant la fin de 2011.       \u00a0       <strong><font>Fadhel Jaziri<\/font><\/strong>       Le tournage du film Thalathoun de Fadhel Jaziri a commenc\u00e9 cette semaine.       Plus de 200 com\u00e9diens et 500 figurants participent \u00e0 ce grand film.       \u00a0       <strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font>Fathia Adala Khancha<\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/strong>\u00a0       La journaliste Fathia Adala Khancha et ancienne directrice du journal       t\u00e9l\u00e9vis\u00e9 en langue arabe a \u00e9t\u00e9 nomm\u00e9e \u00e0 l\u2019ATCE.       \u00a0       <strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font>Un Tunis-Montr\u00e9al-Toronto \u00e0 partir du 20       mars ?<\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/strong>       La compagnie a\u00e9rienne Northern Lights Airlines Ltd a trouv\u00e9 un accord avec       les autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes pour une ligne a\u00e9rienne Tunis-Montr\u00e9al-Toronto.       La ligne pourrait d\u00e9marrer le 20 mars prochain, selon les informations que       nous avons recueillies aupr\u00e8s de sources proches du minist\u00e8re du       Transport. Cependant on ne conna\u00eet pas sa p\u00e9riodicit\u00e9 qui ne sera s\u00fbrement       pas quotidienne.       \u00a0       La compagnie canadienne est n\u00e9e tout r\u00e9cemment. Elle est sp\u00e9cialis\u00e9e dans       les vols charter et va louer trois Boeing 767 pour ses diff\u00e9rentes       dessertes.       \u00a0       <strong><font>(Source : \u00ab R\u00e9alit\u00e9s \u00bb N\u00b0 1135 du 27       septembre 2007)<\/font><\/strong>       \u00a0       \u00a0      <\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\">\n<div align=\"center\"> <strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font size=\"3\">L\u2019opposition tunisienne : Des           conflits et des diff\u00e9rends<\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/strong> \u00a0<\/div>\n<div align=\"center\">          \u00a0<\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\">          Comme \u00e0 chaque rentr\u00e9e politique, des questions et des interrogations           se posent quant \u00e0 la situation des partis de l\u2019opposition.           D\u00e9j\u00e0, au d\u00e9but de ce qu\u2019il est convenu d\u2019appeler la p\u00e9riode de           vacances politiques, certains observateurs ont \u00e9mis l\u2019espoir que l\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9           serait propice \u00e0 ces partis pour organiser des activit\u00e9s de r\u00e9flexion,           d\u2019\u00e9valuation afin de dresser un bilan de leur action pass\u00e9e et de se           pr\u00e9parer \u00e0 la rentr\u00e9e apr\u00e8s avoir affirm\u00e9 leurs programmes et clarifi\u00e9           leur discours, quelques-uns parmi les plus optimistes, avaient m\u00eame           souhait\u00e9 que les partis de l\u2019opposition profitents des vacances pour           entamer des campagnes de \u201crecrutement\u201d \u2014au sens noble du terme\u2014 parmi           les jeunes et particuli\u00e8rement les           \u00a0           Les mois pass\u00e8rent et \u00e0 part quelques rares r\u00e9unions, s\u00e9minaires et           colloques, les partis de l\u2019opposition vaqu\u00e8rent \u00e0 leurs activit\u00e9s           habituelles : la gestion du quotidien par la publication de           communiqu\u00e9s sur des questions de l\u2019actualit\u00e9 nationale ou arabe et la           gestion de leurs diff\u00e9rends . C\u2019est ce dernier point qui m\u00e9rite           l\u2019attention. Chacun sait que tous les partis de l\u2019opposition           connaissent des probl\u00e8mes de leadership entre leurs membres, de           susceptibilit\u00e9s et parfois des divergences sur des questions de fond,           mais elles sont si rares et tellement ambig\u00fces qu\u2019elles passent au           second plan aux yeux de ceux parmi les Tunisiens qu\u2019int\u00e9resse la           situation des partis de l\u2019opposition. Ces propos peuvent ne pas plaire           \u00e0 certains dirigeants de l\u2019opposition qui sont prompts, en maintes           occasions, \u00e0 se lancer dans des condamnations des m\u00e9dias coupables,           selon eux, de \u201cfabriquer\u201d des conflits qui n\u2019existent pas afin de           nuire \u00e0 l\u2019opposition. L\u2019essentiel est qu\u2019il est aujourd\u2019hui \u00e9vident           que l\u2019opposition tunisienne ne se porte pas bien, non seulement au           niveau de son audience et de sa pr\u00e9sence dans la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 et           particuli\u00e8rement chez les jeunes, et qui sont tributaires autant de           facteurs objectifs que de l\u2019incapacit\u00e9 de ces formations \u00e0 s\u2019affirmer           dans le r\u00f4le qui est en principe le leur, mais aussi au niveau interne           \u00e0 ces partis, aucun d\u2019entre eux n\u2019a su \u00e9viter les scissions, les           exclusions, les condamnations, c\u2019est \u00e0 croire que tout cela est           l\u2019expression d\u2019une r\u00e9alit\u00e9 plus profonde que celle de conflits ou de           diff\u00e9rends que connaissent la plupart des partis politiques dans le           monde et qui sont m\u00eame des signes de bonne sant\u00e9.           \u00a0           Les partis de l\u2019opposition ne parviendront pas \u00e0 assurer leur r\u00f4le,           tant qu\u2019ils demeureront d\u00e9chir\u00e9s et paralys\u00e9s par ces conflits           internes, et cela est grave et pr\u00e9sente de s\u00e9rieux risques, d\u2019abord           pour l\u2019opposition qui se trouve ainsi discr\u00e9dit\u00e9e aux yeux de           l\u2019opinion publique et incapable d\u2019atteindre une quelconque audience,           ensuite pour la d\u00e9mocratie elle-m\u00eame car des partis marginalis\u00e9s par           des querelles internes, ne peuvent en aucun cas servir le           d\u00e9veloppement de la d\u00e9mocratie dans notre pays et aussi parce que           quelle que soit la volont\u00e9 des pouvoirs publics, ils ne peuvent \u00e0 eux           seuls faire avancer la cause de la d\u00e9mocratie plurielle car pour cela           il faut \u00eatre plusieurs.           \u00a0           Le tableau qu\u2019offrent les partis de l\u2019opposition pr\u00e9sente des           situations qui n\u2019incitent nullement \u00e0 l\u2019optimisme : le MDS vit           toujours une crise latente qui porte les stigmates du pass\u00e9 de ce           parti, des luttes et des conflits pour le leadership qui se sont           cristallis\u00e9s autour de groupes qui affirment, chacun de son c\u00f4t\u00e9,           d\u00e9tenir la l\u00e9gitimit\u00e9. Entre temps, le parti n\u2019a pas pu renouveler ses           structures ni entamer la pr\u00e9paration s\u00e9rieuve de son prochain congr\u00e8s.           L\u2019absence du secr\u00e9taire g\u00e9n\u00e9ral, pour cause de maladie, avait sembl\u00e9           reporter les \u00e9ch\u00e9ances mais avec son retour, les probl\u00e8mes se posent           de nouveau. Au M.U.P. ce sont des diff\u00e9rends ponctu\u00e9s de d\u00e9missions,           de d\u00e9clarations, de contestation, de la mani\u00e8re dont le parti est           dirig\u00e9 qui pr\u00e9valent et m\u00eame si le secr\u00e9taire g\u00e9n\u00e9ral parvient \u00e0           att\u00e9nuer les effets de cette situation, les probl\u00e8mes ne sont pas pour           autant r\u00e9solus.           \u00a0           Le P.S.L, dont on avait pens\u00e9 que sa crise \u00e9tait r\u00e9solue avec le           d\u00e9part de Mounir B\u00e9ji, conna\u00eet lui aussi des p\u00e9riodes de tension qui           s\u2019expriment de fa\u00e7on \u00e9pisodique. Quant au mouvement Ettajdid, qui a           tenu son dernier congr\u00e8s qui devait marquer l\u2019\u00e9mergence d\u2019un parti de           la gauche d\u00e9mocratique, il a r\u00e9v\u00e9l\u00e9 \u00e0 cette occasion les profondes           divergences qui s\u00e9parent les courants qui le composent et qui ont           abouti au d\u00e9part de nombreux de ses \u00e9l\u00e9ments et non des moindres.           Enfin le P.D.P qui a \u00e9lu au cours de son dernier congr\u00e8s une femme \u00e0           sa t\u00eate, une premi\u00e8re en Tunisie, donne l\u2019image d\u2019un parti de           consensus, mais cette apparence ne parvient pas \u00e0 masquer des           divergences de fond, notamment en ce qui concerne la position \u00e0           adopter face au pouvoir et aux partis de l\u2019opposition.           \u00a0           Pour d\u00e9passer ces probl\u00e8mes qui entament leur action, les partis de           l\u2019opposition n\u2019ont d\u2019autre choix que de promouvoir le libre jeu           d\u00e9mocratique dans leur organisation et leur gestion et adopter la           transparence et le respect du droit \u00e0 la diff\u00e9rence.           \u00a0           <strong><font>Ali Ben Samir<\/font><\/strong>           \u00a0           <strong><font>(Source : \u00ab R\u00e9alit\u00e9s \u00bb N\u00b0 1135 du 27           septembre 2007)<\/font><\/strong><\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\">\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<div align=\"center\"> <strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font><font size=\"3\">La le\u00e7on de Bizerte.<\/font> <\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/strong> <\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\"> <font><strong>Par Ta\u00efeb Zahar<\/strong> <\/font>\u00a0           Rien ne laissait pr\u00e9voir que le match de football entre le Club           Athl\u00e9tique Bizertin et le Club Africain allait conna\u00eetre l\u2019issue           dramatique qu\u2019il a eue. D\u00e9j\u00e0 au cours de la rencontre on a assist\u00e9 \u00e0           des sc\u00e8nes auxquelles nous nous sommes habitu\u00e9s depuis que l\u2019esprit           sportif a d\u00e9sert\u00e9 nos stades dans une indiff\u00e9rence g\u00e9n\u00e9rale, malgr\u00e9           les professions de foi et les d\u00e9claration de principes qui font appel           au respect de l\u2019\u00e9thique, du fair-play\u2026 Mais le pire \u00e9tait encore \u00e0           venir puisque d\u00e8s la fin du match des hordes de v\u00e9ritables hooligans           se sont livr\u00e9s \u00e0 des actes de vandalisme et de violence que notre pays           a rarement connus et qui n\u2019ont \u00e9pargn\u00e9 ni les personnes, ni les           voitures, ni les habitations, ni m\u00eame \u2014ce qui est le comble\u2014 une           clinique.           \u00a0           L\u2019occasion de cette violence, qui n\u2019est pas sans rappeler les \u00e9meutes           que connaissent les banlieues fran\u00e7aises de fa\u00e7on devenue \u00e9pisodique,           a \u00e9t\u00e9 certes un match de football, mais il n\u2019y a pas que cela. D\u2019abord           parce que nous sommes en d\u00e9but de saison et qu\u2019il n\u2019y avait pas           d\u2019enjeu qui puisse justifier les passions et les d\u00e9bordements ;           ensuite parce que, la saison derni\u00e8re, pour ne pas remonter plus loin,           le Club Athl\u00e9tique Bizertin jouait chaque semaine sa place en Ligue 1,           mais on n\u2019a pas connu de tels agissements.           \u00a0           Les causes sont plus profondes. Enfin des \u00e9v\u00e8nements similaires se           sont produits au Bardo il y a quelques jours lors d\u2019un match amical de           Handball ! ?           \u00a0           Certains avancent, pour att\u00e9nuer les dimensions des \u00e9v\u00e8nements de           Bizerte, qu\u2019il s\u2019agit l\u00e0 d\u2019un ph\u00e9nom\u00e8ne universel qui touche la           jeunesse de la plupart des pays du monde. Cette approche n\u2019est pas           convaincante car elle tend \u00e0 diluer le probl\u00e8me en le banalisant, et           aussi ce n\u2019est pas parce que la violence, l\u2019anarchie et la d\u00e9linquance           semblent se g\u00e9n\u00e9raliser qu\u2019il faut les accepter et se rendre, ainsi et           par complaisance, complice de leur d\u00e9veloppement qui pourrait \u00eatre           exploit\u00e9 et instrumentalis\u00e9, prendre d\u2019autres significations et avoir           des effets tr\u00e8s graves.           \u00a0           Ce qui s\u2019est pass\u00e9 \u00e0 Bizerte n\u2019a rien \u00e0 voir avec l\u2019expression, m\u00eame           spectaculaire, d\u2019une amertume ou d\u2019un sentiment d\u2019injustice.           \u00a0           Les jeunes (et les moins jeunes) qui ont perp\u00e9tr\u00e9 des actes de           vandalisme, blessant, incendiant et d\u00e9truisant, ob\u00e9issent \u00e0 plusieurs           motivations. La jeunesse est par essence contestation et r\u00e9volte, mais           quand celles-ci atteignent un tel degr\u00e9 de violence, c\u2019est qu\u2019elles           expriment autre chose de plus profond et de plus grave. Il s\u2019agit de           frustrations, de d\u00e9sillusions qui explosent \u00e0 la premi\u00e8re occasion et           qu\u2019y a-t-il de plus mobilisateur et de plus \u201cf\u00e9d\u00e9rateur\u201d des           ressentiments que le sport et le football en particulier ?           \u00a0           Les causes sont diverses. La premi\u00e8re, ou du moins celle qui para\u00eet la           plus d\u00e9terminante, est en rapport avec le ch\u00f4mage. Il est \u00e9vident que           le meilleur facteur d\u2019int\u00e9gration sociale est le travail. Pour un           jeune, qui en plus a fait des \u00e9tudes qu\u2019il croyait \u00eatre le plus s\u00fbr           moyen de promotion sociale, se retrouver au ch\u00f4mage est la pire des           situations, d\u2019o\u00f9 l\u2019aventure, la d\u00e9ception puis la col\u00e8re qui s\u2019exprime           par la violence. Cette violence que nous retrouvons dans notre vie           quotidienne, familiale, professionnelle et sociale, et m\u00eame si elle ne           rev\u00eat pas toujours un caract\u00e8re spectaculaire, elle n\u2019en est pas moins           r\u00e9elle. On la retrouve au niveau du langage, particuli\u00e8rement chez les           jeunes, ponctu\u00e9 d\u2019expressions vulgaires qui consacrent d\u2019ailleurs la           pauvret\u00e9 du langage de ces jeunes qui se r\u00e9duit \u00e0 quelques expressions           qu\u2019ils ne cessent de r\u00e9p\u00e9ter. On la retrouve aussi \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9cole, ce haut           lieu en principe du respect et de la d\u00e9cence, o\u00f9 les \u00e9l\u00e8ves n\u2019ont plus           d\u2019estime pour leurs professeurs qu\u2019ils arrivent m\u00eame \u00e0 agresser. On la           retrouve \u00e9galement dans la rue, sur les lieux de travail, dans les           caf\u00e9s et dans les stades.           \u00a0           Ce ph\u00e9nom\u00e8ne, qui tend \u00e0 se g\u00e9n\u00e9raliser, a des dimensions           psychologiques, les consultations et les enqu\u00eates men\u00e9es \u00e0 ce sujet           ont montr\u00e9 un d\u00e9sarroi chez la jeunesse, un manque de confiance et une           certaine indiff\u00e9rence \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9gard de tout ce qui touche \u00e0 la politique,           \u00e0 la vie associative, au volontariat, tous ces domaines qui \u00e9taient           l\u2019apanage des jeunes o\u00f9 ils pouvaient donner libre cours \u00e0 leur           g\u00e9n\u00e9rosit\u00e9 et aux valeurs sans lesquelles la jeunesse ne serait pas la           jeunesse.           \u00a0           Face \u00e0 cette situation, la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 tunisienne doit r\u00e9agir, et ceci           implique la responsabilit\u00e9 de tous. Les pouvoirs publics, qui doivent           avant tout parer \u00e0 tout d\u00e9bordement, et en amont adapter les           programmes de l\u2019\u00e9ducation, le discours culturel et celui des m\u00e9dias,           particuli\u00e8rement la t\u00e9l\u00e9vision et la radio, \u00e0 ces exigences de           pr\u00e9venir le corps social de ces risques. Il ne s\u2019agit pas l\u00e0 d\u2019un           conformisme conservateur, loin de l\u00e0, car nous pensons que cette           action ne peut \u00eatre b\u00e9n\u00e9fique que dans le cadre de l\u2019ouverture, du           respect de la personnalit\u00e9 des jeunes, de leur droit \u00e0 l\u2019expression           libre, critique et d\u00e9mocratique, tant il est clair que seul le d\u00e9bat           peut \u00e9clairer et canaliser les passions les plus fortes. Nous devons           donner aux jeunes l\u2019occasion de s\u2019exprimer et d\u2019exposer leurs           pr\u00e9occupations et leurs attentes et surtout les \u00e9couter et tenir           compte de ce qu\u2019ils ont dit et propos\u00e9.           \u00a0           Cette action globale rel\u00e8ve aussi de la responsabilit\u00e9 des parents,           des \u00e9ducateurs, et \u00e0 un autre niveau des partis politiques, des           associations et de la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 civile. Conjugu\u00e9e aux effets d\u2019une           politique de d\u00e9veloppement qui cr\u00e9e des emplois et favorise la           promotion sociale, cette action peut aboutir \u00e0 des r\u00e9sultats, car ce           qui est dramatique, ce n\u2019est pas qu\u2019une soci\u00e9t\u00e9 ait des probl\u00e8mes mais           qu\u2019elle les ignore.           <strong><font>(Source : \u00ab R\u00e9alit\u00e9s \u00bb N\u00b0 1135 du 27           septembre 2007)<\/font><\/strong><\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\">                     \u00a0<\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\">\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<div align=\"center\"> <strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font size=\"3\">Qu\u2019est-ce qu\u2019un islamiste           mod\u00e9r\u00e9 ?<\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/strong>           \u00a0<\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\"> <strong><font>Par Foued Zaouche<\/font><\/strong>           \u00a0           Il faut se poser cette question car nous entendons souvent ces termes           employ\u00e9s par la presse pour d\u00e9finir les partis qui se pr\u00e9sentent aux           \u00e9lections sous la banni\u00e8re d\u2019un Islam assagi et tol\u00e9rant comme en           Turquie par exemple, ou au Maroc ou en Alg\u00e9rie, des Islamistes qui           officiellement se disent pr\u00eats \u00e0 jouer le jeu d\u00e9mocratique pour           parvenir au pouvoir, on pourrait dire, dans les r\u00e8gles de l\u2019Art           politique.           \u00a0           L\u2019islamisme politique se d\u00e9finit comme une id\u00e9ologie se r\u00e9clamant de           l\u2019Islam qui a des ambitions sociales et politiques, son effort porte           sur la conduite des hommes et pr\u00f4ne la solidarit\u00e9 et la fraternit\u00e9 au           sein de la communaut\u00e9, des valeurs \u00e9minemment respectables que chacun           peut revendiquer. Mais cette id\u00e9ologie prend sa source essentiellement           dans la Chariaa qui, plus qu\u2019un code de conduite, est un ensemble de           lois juridiques et sociales extr\u00eamement pr\u00e9cises et contraignantes           accompagn\u00e9es par des ch\u00e2timents corporels, comme la lapidation ou           l\u2019amputation d\u2019un membre, qui peuvent sembler barbares dans leur           application dans certains pays r\u00e9trogrades.           \u00a0           La premi\u00e8re question qu\u2019il faut poser \u00e0 ces islamistes mod\u00e9r\u00e9s est           celle-ci : sont-ils pour l\u2019application de la Chariaa et de ses           ch\u00e2timents corporels ? Pour \u00eatre honn\u00eate, je ne pense pas sinc\u00e8rement           qu\u2019un Erdogan ou un G\u00fcll, au pouvoir actuellement en Turquie,           pr\u00f4neraient l\u2019application de ch\u00e2timents corporels, cela provoquerait           un v\u00e9ritable toll\u00e9 dans cette Europe dont ils ont l\u2019ambition           officiellement de faire partie. Par contre, ces deux dirigeants sont           certainement pour l\u2019abolition de la la\u00efcit\u00e9 qui pr\u00e9conise la           neutralit\u00e9 de l\u2019Etat envers les religions, pour l\u2019instauration d\u2019un           r\u00e9gime islamiste et surtout pour l\u2019affirmation d\u2019un dogme, cr\u00e9ateur           d\u2019une pens\u00e9e unique, une porte ouverte \u00e0 l\u2019instauration d\u2019un ordre           moral et d\u2019une censure rigoureuse. Pourrait-on nier l\u2019existence de           Dieu dans ce type de r\u00e9gime sans redouter d\u2019\u00eatre tax\u00e9 d\u2019apostasie et           de craindre pour sa propre vie ? Pourrait-on enseigner dans les           universit\u00e9s les th\u00e9ories de l\u2019\u00e9volution qui replacent dans leur           v\u00e9ritable contexte l\u2019origine de la vie? Aurais-je le droit, en tant           qu\u2019individu, d\u2019exister, de me comporter, de penser et de dire ce que           je veux dans les limites de la libert\u00e9 de l\u2019autre ?           \u00a0           Si l\u2019Islam pr\u00f4n\u00e9 par les islamistes consiste \u00e0 respecter les valeurs           de la science et la primaut\u00e9 de celle-ci sur toutes autres           consid\u00e9rations, alors que signifie le fait d\u2019\u00eatre islamiste ?           \u00a0           Etre musulman est une chose, \u00eatre islamiste en est une autre.           J\u2019aimerais comprendre par exemple pourquoi les \u00e9pouses des deux           principaux dirigeants turcs sont voil\u00e9es. Que signifie le fait de           porter tailleurs et pantalons et de s\u2019affubler d\u2019un foulard ou           peut-\u00eatre est-ce cela qui d\u00e9finit l\u2019islamiste mod\u00e9r\u00e9? J\u2019aimerais           demander respectueusement \u00e0 ces deux femmes si elles accepteraient de           perdre les droits civiques dont elles disposent dans la Turquie la\u00efque           pour devenir des mineures sur le plan juridique si par malheur un           r\u00e9gime islamiste \u00e9tait mis en place dans ce beau pays.           \u00a0           C\u2019est peut-\u00eatre cette confusion entretenue qui m\u2019inspire une solide           m\u00e9fiance envers ce qu\u2019on appelle \u00ab islamiste mod\u00e9r\u00e9\u00bb car je pense           sinc\u00e8rement qu\u2019on est un islamiste mod\u00e9r\u00e9 dans l\u2019opposition et un           islamiste pur et dur au pouvoir. L\u2019islamisme politique a la volont\u00e9 de           r\u00e9genter la vie sociale et intime des citoyens et je ne parle pas du           statut des femmes rel\u00e9gu\u00e9es dans un \u00e9tat de soumission qui est une           v\u00e9ritable insulte \u00e0 l\u2019intelligence. Dans un r\u00e9gime islamiste,           l\u2019ensemble des citoyens est cens\u00e9 vivre dans la soumission de la loi           divine dont l\u2019interpr\u00e9tation est laiss\u00e9e \u00e0 quelques th\u00e9ologiens qui           disposent du vrai pouvoir comme on le constate en Iran ou sous la           sinistre tyrannie de ce qu\u2019on a appel\u00e9 les talibans en Afghanistan           lorsqu\u2019ils \u00e9taient au pouvoir. Il ne peut y avoir de cohabitation           entre le pouvoir temporel et le pouvoir spirituel car le pouvoir ne           peut se partager et toutes les soci\u00e9t\u00e9s d\u00e9mocratiques ont fait ce           partage et donn\u00e9 \u00e0 chacun son espace d\u2019expression. Au pouvoir temporel,           celui de la gestion des hommes et de leur imbroglio, et au spirituel,           l\u2019opportunit\u00e9 laiss\u00e9e \u00e0 chaque individu de r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 sa mani\u00e8re aux           interrogations existentielles dans une relation libre et ouverte avec           sa propre conscience. Mais le pouvoir engendre trop d\u2019app\u00e9tits pour           que ce partage se fasse sereinement et il a fallu des luttes parfois           sanglantes pour rel\u00e9guer le pouvoir des religieux dans leur seul           espace spirituel. Je constate avec d\u00e9sespoir que la lutte \u00e0 mener est           loin d\u2019\u00eatre gagn\u00e9e et que l\u2019hydre semble rena\u00eetre, se nourrissant de           la peur des hommes et de leur angoisse existentielle.           \u00a0           Le Monde arabe est malade de sa surench\u00e8re religieuse, entre           islamistes mod\u00e9r\u00e9s et int\u00e9gristes de tous bords, les Arabes           s\u2019accrochent \u00e0 leur religion comme \u00e0 une planche de salut sur un oc\u00e9an           de tourmentes en en faisant leur seule identit\u00e9 et leur seule           r\u00e9f\u00e9rence, oubliant le grand profit \u00e0 entendre et \u00e0 conna\u00eetre les           autres peuples. Qu\u2019il \u00e9tait grand le temps o\u00f9 l\u2019Islam recommandait           d\u2019aller chercher la connaissance jusqu\u2019en Chine. On ne peut cloisonner           sa pens\u00e9e sans dommage car la modernit\u00e9 s\u2019imposera un jour ou l\u2019autre,           inexorablement. La sanction du r\u00e9el, celle de la v\u00e9rit\u00e9 scientifique,           balaiera tous les dogmes. Prendre le train de la modernit\u00e9, c\u2019est           commencer par relativiser ses propres croyances et surtout accepter de           vivre avec sa propre ignorance. A tous les excit\u00e9s de tous bords qui           se croient investis d\u2019une mission divine, on a envie de recommander           plus de modestie et de tol\u00e9rance, le ma\u00eetre mot pour un \u00ab vivre mieux           \u00bb ensemble, harmonieux et pacifique.           \u00a0           <strong><font>(Source : \u00ab R\u00e9alit\u00e9s \u00bb N\u00b0 1135 du 27           septembre 2007)<\/font><\/strong> \u00a0<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<div>      \u00a0<\/div>\n<div>\n<div align=\"center\"> <span> <\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color: blue;\"><font face=\"Arial\" size=\"3\">Turquie &#8211; G\u00fcl s&rsquo;engage \u00e0         poursuivre les r\u00e9formes malgr\u00e9 l&rsquo;arm\u00e9e<\/font><\/h3>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<div>        \u00a0<\/div>\n<div align=\"justify\"> <font face=\"Arial\" size=\"2\">Reuters, le 3 octobre 2007 \u00e0 16h04                  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 STRASBOURG, 3 octobre (Reuters) &#8211; Le nouveau pr\u00e9sident turc,         Abdullah G\u00fcl, s&rsquo;est engag\u00e9 mercredi \u00e0 poursuivre les r\u00e9formes dans la         voie d&rsquo;une int\u00e9gration de son pays en Europe, tout en minimisant les         risques de voir l&rsquo;arm\u00e9e s&rsquo;y opposer.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0L&rsquo;engagement de la Turquie vis \u00e0 vis du processus de r\u00e9forme         continuera\u00a0\u00bb, a-t-il dit \u00e0 Strasbourg devant l&rsquo;assembl\u00e9e parlementaire du         Conseil de l&rsquo;Europe dont il fut membre durant         neuf ans et \u00e0 laquelle il a r\u00e9serv\u00e9 sa premi\u00e8re intervention \u00e0         l&rsquo;\u00e9tranger depuis son \u00e9lection le 28 ao\u00fbt.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Abdullah G\u00fcl a \u00e9voqu\u00e9 les progr\u00e8s accomplis par son pays en mati\u00e8re         de droits de l&rsquo;homme, affirmant qu&rsquo;apr\u00e8s la phase d&rsquo;adh\u00e9sion aux         conventions internationales qui les prot\u00e8gent et celle des r\u00e9formes         internes venait le moment de la \u00ab\u00a0mise en pratique effective\u00a0\u00bb.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0Les transformations en cours correspondent aux aspirations du         peuple turc\u00a0\u00bb, a-t-il dit en mettant en avant la participation de \u00ab\u00a0pr\u00e8s         de 85%\u00a0\u00bb aux \u00e9lections l\u00e9gislatives de juillet dernier.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Il a affich\u00e9 sa confiance dans la neutralit\u00e9 de l&rsquo;arm\u00e9e qui a mis en         garde, \u00e0 plusieurs reprises, le gouvernement de l&rsquo;AKP, issu de la         mouvance islamiste, auquel il appartient, contre         toute atteinte au principe de la\u00efcit\u00e9 et la poursuite de certaines         r\u00e9formes.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0Les forces arm\u00e9es turques connaissent tr\u00e8s bien leur devoir dans un         champ d\u00e9fini par la loi et la constitution\u00a0\u00bb, a-t-il assur\u00e9 lors d&rsquo;une         conf\u00e9rence de presse.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Il a ainsi relativis\u00e9 les r\u00e9serves des militaires sur une r\u00e9forme de         l&rsquo;article 301 du code p\u00e9nal, qui punit tout d\u00e9nigrement de l&rsquo;identit\u00e9         nationale turque et des institutions         de la R\u00e9publique, et dont l&rsquo;Union europ\u00e9enne comme le Conseil de         l&rsquo;Europe demandent l&rsquo;abrogation.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0L&rsquo;article 301 n&rsquo;a rien \u00e0 voir avec les forces arm\u00e9es. Cela rel\u00e8ve         de la comp\u00e9tence du gouvernement\u00a0\u00bb, a-t-il affirm\u00e9 en se disant favorable         \u00e0 une r\u00e9forme de la loi.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Abdullah G\u00fcl a r\u00e9affirm\u00e9 la position de son parti en faveur du droit         pour les femmes de porter le voile dans la vie publique et notamment \u00e0         l&rsquo;universit\u00e9 o\u00f9 il est interdit. \u00ab\u00a0C&rsquo;est \u00e0 la femme de prendre sa         d\u00e9cision en fonction de ses choix et de ses convictions\u00a0\u00bb, a dit ce         musulman dont la femme elle-m\u00eame porte le foulard.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0La Turquie reste un Etat d\u00e9mocratique et s\u00e9culier. Vous n&rsquo;avez         aucune raison d&rsquo;\u00eatre inquiet\u00a0\u00bb, a-t-il r\u00e9pliqu\u00e9 \u00e0 un parlementaire         lib\u00e9ral.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Interpell\u00e9 par un parlementaire fran\u00e7ais sur le \u00ab\u00a0g\u00e9nocide arm\u00e9nien\u00a0\u00bb         de 1915, le pr\u00e9sident turc a par ailleurs rappel\u00e9 la position de la         Turquie qui ne voit dans les massacres commis que         des \u00ab\u00a0\u00e9v\u00e9nements tragiques\u00a0\u00bb.         \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Abdullah G\u00fcl a rappel\u00e9 que la Turquie avait propos\u00e9 la constitution         d&rsquo;une commission mixte, compos\u00e9e d&rsquo;historiens turcs, arm\u00e9niens et         d&rsquo;autres nationalit\u00e9s pour enqu\u00eater sur le sujet. \u00ab\u00a0Nous accepterons les         conclusions de ce comit\u00e9 mixte\u00a0\u00bb, a-t-il dit.<\/font><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/font><\/div>\n<p align=\"center\" dir=\"ltr\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p align=\"center\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tunisnews.net\"><span>Home<\/span><span lang=\"FR-CH\"> &#8211; Accueil <\/span><span>&#8211; <\/span><span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u0627\u0644\u0631\u0626\u064a\u0633\u064a\u0629<\/span><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><span dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"AR-SA\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><\/body><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home &#8211; Accueil &#8211; \u00a0 TUNISNEWS 8\u00a0\u00e8me\u00a0ann\u00e9e, N\u00b0\u00a02691 du 04.10.2007 \u00a0archives : www.tunisnews.net \u00a0Tunisie: Le TMG condamne la tentative des autorit\u00e9s de r\u00e9duire les voix r\u00e9calcitrantes au silence Vers l&rsquo;Avenir: Sihem Bensedrine t\u00e9moigne \u00ab\u00a0L&rsquo;islamisme \u00e9merge \u00e0 cause de Ben Ali\u00a0\u00bb Libre Belgique: L&rsquo;espace de libert\u00e9 se r\u00e9duit encore Libre Belgique : Gr\u00e8ve de la faim [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[62,38,29],"class_list":["post-16928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-62","tag-38","tag-fr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16928"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16928\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tunisnews.net\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}