Thanks to applications brought by four migrants, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights will, for the first time, be called upon to rule on violations committed by Tunisia against foreign nationals.
30 June 2026 – 2:00 PM (CET) – ONLINE PRESS CONFERENCE – ZOOM LINK – simultaneous interpretation available in French and Italian
Four migrants, represented by lawyers from ASGI and by lawyer Ibrahim Belguith, have filed four separate applications against Tunisia before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The violations alleged against Tunisia are extremely serious and include arbitrary detention, torture, violations of the right to life, collective expulsions, human trafficking, racial and gender discrimination, among others.
The cases brought before the Court are far from isolated incidents. Rather, they are emblematic of practices that have become increasingly frequent and well documented since 2023, affecting thousands of people—primarily from West African countries—who either migrate to Tunisia or pass through the country on their journey towards Europe.
The applications describe deportations and abandonment in desert areas under life-threatening conditions; detention in cages located within military zones in the middle of the desert; the sale and transfer of individuals to Libyan border guards in exchange for barrels of oil; and violent interceptions at sea resulting in the drowning deaths of people on board. These practices have been extensively documented over recent years by survivors, civil society organisations, and international organisations.
For the first time, the African Court is now being asked to assess these practices in light of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, with the aim of condemning and preventing the grave violations committed by Tunisia against citizens of African Union member states. The legal action seeks a formal determination of Tunisia’s responsibility for these acts.
At the same time, it is essential that the authorities of the European Union and its Member States put an end to all forms of cooperation with a North African country that commits the violations described in the applications using material and financial support provided by the EU. Furthermore, the practices challenged in these proceedings demonstrate that Tunisia cannot in any way be considered a safe country for migrants, nor for its own citizens, nor a safe place of disembarkation for people rescued at sea.
The Court now has the opportunity to reaffirm the rights guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and to ensure that states are held accountable for serious human rights violations attributable to them.
Speakers at the press conference:
- ActionAid
- ARCI
- ASGI
- RRX
- Avv. Brahim Belgith
- Cecilia Strada, Eurodeputata PD
Background materials
- Summary of the applications filed: In Italian | In French
For further information on the situation in Tunisia, please consult the following reports:
- NOBODY HEARS YOU WHEN YOU SCREAM – Amnesty International, Giugno 2025
- TORTURE ROADS OMCT | VOL I – II – III – IV
- MER INTERROMPUE – Alarm Phone
- State Trafficking
Press contacts:
- Adelaide Massimi, ASGI: 0039 3291279117 – contenzioso@asgi.it
- Luca Masera, ASGI: 0039 3406782863
- Giovanni Papotti, ASGI: 0039 3387892907
- Anna Brambilla, ASGI: 0039 3898235294
