Human rights situation for refugees in Tunisia a disaster- Seebrücke International

Seebrücke International an international movement that  wants safe passages and an end of the criminalisation of civil sea rescue has described human rights situation for refugees in Tunisia as a disaster.

Seebrücke International made the remark following the detention of dozens of refugees from sub-Saharan Africa who had been living there for months.

A number of human rights activists were also arrested after staging  a protest to condemn what they described as unfair EU policies in the North African country.  

In a statement denouncing the distasteful developments in Tunisia, Seebrücke International said: “Several activists were arrested in #Tunisia this week, while authorities also destroyed tent camps in front of the UN headquarters and detained dozens of refugees from sub-Saharan Africa who had been living there for months.

“On Thursday, there were protests and a sit-in in front of the EU headquarters, with demonstrators demanding more rights for refugees and migrants.

Some of the signs denounced Tunisia’s cooperation with Italy and Europe, while others mourned the lives of Tunisians who have died or gone missing at sea.

President Kaïs Saïed stated that people on the move and migrants were being deported from coastal towns to border areas in ‘continued cooperation’ with neighbouring countries. He used racist narratives in his statement – as he did last year.

His comments followed the arrest of Saadia Mosbah, a black Tunisian anti-discrimination activist, and Sherifa Riahi, the former chairwoman of an asylum rights group, earlier this week.”

Last week, Seebrücke International said more than 80 migrants were arrested in Tunis after clashes with law enforcement when camps were dismantled in the capital.

“Hundreds of migrants and refugees had camped near the headquarters of the UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration, many of them demanding their evacuation.

“The human rights situation for refugees in Tunisia is a disaster.

Racism and the EU’s policy of sealing off borders are escalating the violence against Black migrants and refugees in particular. We demand safe passage and an end to violence against refugees and activists.”