Tunisia has ordered the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), one of the country’s most prominent civil rights and migrant advocacy groups, to suspend its activities for one month, the organization said on Monday.
The move marks the latest in a series of government actions targeting independent civil society organizations.
According to FTDES official Ramadhan Ben Omar, authorities informed the group that the suspension was meant to allow for a financial audit of its foreign funding sources.
However, Ben Omar dismissed that justification, telling Reuters, “Its real aim is to silence every independent voice within civil society.”
The Tunisian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The suspension of FTDES follows a similar order last week against the Democratic Women Group, which advocates for women’s rights, democracy, and individual freedoms.
Sources told Reuters that several other associations have also been notified of suspensions over alleged irregularities in foreign funding, though their cases have not yet been made public.
Founded in 2011, FTDES has been a vocal critic of President Kais Saied, particularly after his 2023 remarks accusing sub-Saharan African migrants of being part of a “criminal plot” to alter Tunisia’s Arab and Muslim identity, a statement the group denounced as racist.
At least 12 civil society activists are currently detained in Tunisia on charges linked to their advocacy work.
Human rights organizations say these actions reflect an escalating crackdown on dissent since Saied consolidated power in 2021, dissolved parliament, and began ruling by decree.
Critics warn that the growing pressure on independent organizations risks eroding Tunisia’s hard-won democratic freedoms and further isolating the North African nation on the international stage.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
