Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms is closely monitoring with serious concern the continued denial of necessary healthcare to lawyer, former President of the Tunisian National Bar Association, and former President of the National Anti-Corruption Authority, Chawki Tebib, who is currently held at Civil Prison of Belli in Nabeul, despite his medical condition requiring regular medical follow-up and access to treatment prescribed by specialist doctors.
According to information provided by his family to the Association, he was examined one week ago by a specialist in rheumatology, who prescribed appropriate treatment for his condition. However, the prison administration later stated that it had not received the medical prescription, despite it having been directly submitted to the administration. As a result, he has, to date, been deprived of the treatment prescribed by the specialist physician.
His medical condition also requires the use of medical equipment recommended by doctors to alleviate his pain. However, he has still been unable to obtain these necessary medical supplies, despite their importance for his treatment.
His family further reported that this is not the first instance of medical neglect he has experienced. One month ago, he suffered a loss of consciousness inside the prison, requiring his transfer to the hospital in Nabeul. Chawki Tebib also personally addressed a written request to the prison administration demanding the implementation of the medical prescriptions issued by specialist doctors, yet his health condition remains unchanged due to the lack of the necessary response.
It should be noted that Chawki Tebib suffers from chronic illnesses, including diabetes and arthritis, both of which require regular medical monitoring and guaranteed access to treatment in accordance with prescriptions issued by specialist doctors.
The Association considers that the continued denial of prescribed treatment and medical supplies recommended by doctors, despite clear medical instructions concerning his condition, constitutes a violation of the right to health and of the guarantees afforded to persons deprived of their liberty. The right to health is protected under Articles 36 and 43 of the 2022 Constitution, while Article 17 of Law No. 52 of 2001 relating to the prison system guarantees prisoners’ right to healthcare and medical treatment. These obligations are also consistent with Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Rules 24 and 27 of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), which require detention authorities to provide healthcare equivalent to that available in the community and to ensure access to treatment and the implementation of medical prescriptions without delay.
The continued failure to implement medical prescriptions issued by specialist doctors, despite the authorities’ awareness of Chawki Tebib’s health condition, raises serious concerns regarding respect for the guarantees afforded to persons deprived of their liberty and the extent to which detention authorities are fulfilling their national and international obligations to ensure the right to health and medical care in places of detention.
In light of the seriousness of this situation, Intersection for Rights and Freedoms calls on the relevant authorities to immediately implement the medical prescriptions issued by specialist doctors, provide Chawki Tebib without delay with the necessary treatment and medical supplies recommended by physicians, including the medical pillow required for his condition, ensure regular and continuous medical monitoring of his health, and adopt all necessary measures to guarantee his right to healthcare on an equal basis with all persons deprived of their liberty, in a manner that preserves his human dignity and respects Tunisia’s constitutional, legal, and international obligations
