Issam Chebbi

Issam Chebbi

Summary

Issam Chebbi is a Tunisian Politician and the Secretary-General of the Republican Party. On Wednesday, February 2023, he was arrested, and his residence was raided by officers of the First National Unit for Combatting Terrorism and Organized Crime Affecting National Security. He was imprisoned after being accused of conspiring against State Security

Personal Information

Name: Issam Chebbi

Nationality: Tunisian

Age: 65

Occupation: Tunisian Politician, Former member of the Tunisian National Constituent Assembly, and The Secretary-General of the Republican Party.

Charges: Suspicion of belonging to a terrorist group, conspiring against internal and external State Security, and Incitement to overthrow the ruling regime

Incidents of Violation

On Wednesday evening, February 22, 2023, police forces arrested the Politician and Secretary-General of the Tunisian Republican Party, Issam Chebbi. He was arrested by The First National Unit for Combatting Terrorism and Organized Crime Affecting National Security State officers when he was with his wife in his car. That was after raiding and inspecting the violation victim’s place of residence and seizing several personal belongings without any warrant that mandated holding him in custody. Arresting the Politician and Leader of the Tunisian Republican Party, Issam Chebbi, is related to investigations into suspicions of affiliation with a terrorist organization and conspiring against the internal and external Security State, as well as inciting the overthrowing of the ruling regime. Later on the same day, the victim of this violation was interrogated by virtue of a warrant issued by the Public Prosecutor of the Judicial Counter-Terrorism Pole. He was questioned about his political activity and relationship with several political activists who opposed the Course of 25 July 2021. On February 25, 2023, a Judge at the Judicial Counter-Terrorism Pole issued an arrest warrant against the Politician Issam Chebbi, who has been detained in the Civil Prison of Mornaguia since then

Human Rights Violations

The arrest of Issam Chebbi is part of a campaign launched by the Tunisian regime against several opponents of the Course of 25 July. The detention of the Tunisian politician in mysterious circumstances and labeling him as a terrorist based on his political activities and opposition to the authorities is a transgression of civil and political rights. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Article 19, Paragraph 1 states that “Everyone has the right to hold opinions without interference.” Moreover, enacting terrorism laws as a tool to target political opponents is a clear violation of the principles of the rule of law and equality. It can only represent a significant regression from the concept of the rule of law and entrenchment of a tyrannical regime by employing State Bodies to eliminate political adversaries. The right to political opposition is one of the fundamental and essential rights in modern democracies, given that it enables individuals and groups to express their opinions and views about various political issues and express their refusal of governmental policies and decisions that they perceive as inadequate and unjust. This right also includes the right to demonstrate, protest, assemble, organize, and communicate with the media to promote and diffuse the opposing message. Additionally, the law protects this right and guarantees the protection of political opponents from facing danger, threat, or oppression by the government or any other individual

Sources

This case was documented based on Isseam Chebbi’s defense team’s statement, several newspaper articles, and official statements. It also involves the examination of interrogation records that date back to February 25, 2023, as well as the official statements of the Tunisian state bodies. Besides, communication took place with family members of one of the political detainees in June 2023