A/HRC/8/52
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recommendations be reflected in the debate of the Working Group. As to paragraph 9 of the
report, Tunisia should take measures without ambiguity to put an end to the use of torture during
interrogations. As to paragraphs 49 and 59, it should clarify the definition of terrorism as
emerging from the law of 2003 which should not be used to limit freedom of association and
expression or forms of political disagreement expressed without violence. As to paragraphs 6
and 31, it should ensure genuine independence of judges and magistrates so that they can apply
the law respecting their professional ethics, and put an end to harassment of lawyers. As to
paragraph 23, Tunisia should guarantee the effective opening of an investigation into all
allegations of torture or inhuman, cruel or degrading treatment, putting an end to the current
practice of investigative authorities not accepting the filing of a complaint or letting its
processing take too long. As to paragraph 42, it should put an end to the various forms of
physical, administrative, judicial or media harassment against human rights defenders. As to
paragraphs 10 and 19, it should amend the law according to which a person found guilty of a
sexual offence against someone under the age of 20 is exempted from any penalty if the offender
marries the victim.
258. The International Publishers Association (also on behalf of the International PEN and
World Association of Newspapers) noted that in April 2007, the IFEX Tunisia Monitoring
Group issued a report which refers to serious breaches of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights in Tunisia, notably article 19. It believed that the only recommendation
pertaining to freedom of expression in the report of the review of Tunisia, mainly to the revision
of article 51 of the Press Code, is far from sufficient to address the multitude of problems
existing in Tunisia in this area. It welcomed the news of the release of some of the censored
books and some announced positive changes to legislation although these do not go far enough
in addressing the concerns raised in the report. It urged the Tunisian authorities to encourage
diversity of content and ownership of the press, to stop blocking news websites, to release all
censored books and to allow new titles to be published. It also reiterated its position that the
Government should allow legal non-governmental organizations to work and independent
organizations to be established without requiring prior political approval.
259. The Union Nationale de la Femme Tunisienne noted that the report of Tunisia revealed a
number of indicators on the presentation of women in different areas of political, economic and
social activity. The achievements reflected in the report are the result of Tunisia’s adoption of a
personal status code directly after independence which has enshrined the emancipation of
women, in particular by abolishing polygamy, eradicating customary marriage and establishing
the principle of judicial marriage. All the achievements of women in Tunisia are the result of
serious and constructive debate between the Government and women’s associations. It noted that
efforts and progress made do not prevent the persistence of certain lacunae which call for
in-depth and collective reflection. But if the rights which women in Tunisia have today constitute
a rampart against obscurantism and extremism. It called for combining efforts and multiplying
contacts among women of different cultures to further promote the rights of women and to block
all of those who try to hinder them.
260. Espace Afrique International welcomed Tunisia’s approach to human rights in general and
noted that the promotion of women in Tunisia deserves support from the international
community. Tunisia has been able to transform women into a pole of creativity and vigilance for
harmonious social development. It noted that since the end of the 1980s, Tunisia has
concentrated its efforts on women’s arrival in the public sphere at the level of the most important
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