The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) presented its annual report entitled “Ten Obstacles to Justice: A Guide to Legal Reforms against Impunity,” at a press conference held Tuesday in Tunis

The conference is held a few days before the meeting of the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) which had presented, in November 2022, a series of remarks evaluating the measures taken by Tunisia in the fight against torture and impunity.

The measures were decreed by Tunisia in light of the recommendations developed by the CAT, in its report published in 2016.

On this occasion, OMCT gave an overview of the main causes of impunity as well as the obstacles that prevent justice for victims of torture or/and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in Tunisia.

Among these obstacles, the OMCT representatives cited the inconsistency of the definition of torture in Tunisia with international standards, the retaliatory prosecution of victims and whistleblowers reporting police violence and the lack of seriousness of investigations.

They also mentioned the slowness of judicial delays and the violation of the principle of reparation of damages suffered by the victims.

In this context, Hélène Legeay, OMCT’s legal director, specifies that this diagnosis is the fruit of a decade of work by the “SANAD” programme of direct and multidisciplinary assistance to victims of torture and/or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in Tunisia.

The conference was also an opportunity to present a manual of procedures that includes a series of recommendations to the Tunisian authorities to help Tunisia to meet its international commitments in the fight against impunity and improve the judicial and security treatment of crimes of torture.

Source: Tap News Agency