Press release The report of the Committee on Individual Freedoms and Equality: an important step in the promotion of individual freedoms and equality.

The associations and member organizations of the Civil Collective for Individual Freedoms, mobilized for the realization of universal, interdependent and indivisible human rights, welcome the publication of the Report of the Committee on Individual Freedoms and Equality on June 12, 2018.

The Collective pays tribute to the Commission for having listened to the demands of Tunisian civil society, to its struggles carried out by generations of Tunisians for rights, freedoms, equality and non-discrimination.

The Collective welcomes the work of collecting and analyzing a large number of legal texts. We take note of the rigorous identification of the inconsistencies of these texts with regard to the Constitution of January 27, 2014, international standards and "guidelines". contemporary ”affirmed in the mandate of the Commission in the field of freedoms and equality.

We are grateful to him for having formulated relevant proposals for the consolidation of democracy and the civilian character of the State;

The Collective supports and shares in particular the Commission proposals relating to:

• Perfect and effective equality between women and men, parental guardianship, the granting of nationality to the husbands of Tunisian women,
• Perfect and effective equality between all children, including those born out of wedlock;
• The repeal of articles 226 and 226 bis (relating to moral offenses: indecent assault, good morals, etc.),
• Consolidation of freedom of conscience,
• The penalization of all forms of discrimination,
• Details of the concept of torture

The Collective, while recognizing the quality and importance of these guidelines, regrets that some of the proposals put forward call into question the indivisible and absolute nature of human rights, by proposing alternative solutions instead of a pure abrogation and simple: 

- the death penalty,

- Article 230 of the Penal Code criminalizing the homosexual act,

- Article 231 of the same code relating to female prostitution,

- Article 236 criminalizing adultery,

- and provisions contrary to strict equality between men and women in matters of inheritance.

Consequently, the Collective calls for:

•  The President of the Republic, initiator of the Individual Freedoms and Equality Commission, to uphold the hopes aroused by the creation of this Commission by following up on its recommendations and initiating draft laws in accordance with the indivisibility of human rights as well as 'to their absolute character, advocating complete and effective equality.

• The elected representatives of the people, the political forces, the judiciary to mobilize to make the recommendations of the Commission effective and to take the step towards the civil, democratic and united state.

• The government, the ministries, the security agents, the public services, to do their utmost to achieve these orientations.

• All the vital forces of the Nation, civil, political, trade union, media, citizens to mobilize around these proposals to defend them, support them and deepen them.

The Collective undertakes to maintain its vigilance with determination, without any concession, for the consecration of all rights and freedoms, the only guarantee of the dignity of all.

The signatory associations:

1. The Tunisian Association for the Defense of Individual Freedoms (ADLI) 
2. L’Tunisian Association of Democratic Women
3. La Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l’Homme
4. L’Beyti Association
6. The Mawjoudin Initiative for EqualityWeExist
7. The League of Tunisian Electors
8. The Tawhida Ben Cheikh Group-For Research & Action in Women's Health
9. The Shams Association
10. The Tunisian Association for Justice and Legality DAMJ
11. The CHOUF MINORITIES Association
12. The Association for the Promotion of Law to the ADD difference
13. The League of Tunisian Electors LET
14. The Association Tunisian for the fight against STDs and AIDS ATL
15. The Waai Association
16. The national network of peer educators Y-PEER Tunisia 
17. The CALAM Association
18. The Free Sight Association
19. The Tunisian Organization for Social Justice and Solidarity OTJUSS
20. The Tunisian Association for Positive Prevention + ATP +
21. The Doustouna Network
22. The Horra Association
23. The Coalition for Women of Tunisia
24. The FanniRoughmanAnni Association
25. The Mnemty Association
26. ALSEJINE 52
27. The Touensa Association
28. The L’ArtRue Association
29. The Kelmty Association
30. EuroMed Rights Network (EMHRN)
31. Fédération internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme (FIDH) 
32.   (ASF)
33. The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) 

Dated: 

Thursday, June 14, 2018