Bechir Akermi

Summary

Bachir Akremi is a former judge and prosecutor. On February 12, 2023, police forces raided his residence, searched it, and took him for interrogation. He was subsequently imprisoned in connection with several charges brought against him.

Personal Information

Name: Bachir Akremi

Nationality: Tunisian

Occupation: Former Judge and Prosecutor

Incidents of Violation

On July 29, 2021, Tunisian security authorities placed Bachir Akremi, a dismissed judge and former prosecutor, under house arrest. He was charged with concealing files related to terrorism and obstructing investigations into them, as well as manipulating judicial files. The house arrest order was lifted on October 10, 2021.

On February 12, 2023, police forces raided and searched Bachir Akremi’s residence and seized his personal computer and mobile phone. He was subsequently taken to the Bouchoucha Unit for Combating Terrorism Headquarters, where he was interrogated for more than 24 hours following a complaint filed against him by members of the Bouchoucha counter-terrorism unit concerning the 2015 terrorist attack at the Bardo Museum.

On February 17, 2023, the prosecution refused to extend his detention and ordered his release. However, on the same day, the public prosecution issued a decision ordering Bachir Akremi’s placement in a psychiatric hospital based on a medical report that his defense team was not permitted to access. He was also denied family visits during the first days of his stay at the hospital.

According to testimony provided by the victim’s son to Intersection Association, during a family visit to the hospital, Bachir Akremi was reportedly not informed that he had been released or provided with any explanation regarding his transfer to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Fathi Jarray, President of the National Body for the Prevention of Torture, stated to a radio station that Bachir Akremi was receiving the necessary medical care, that his condition was stable, and that he was aware of what was happening around him.

On March 10, 2023, Bachir Akremi was imprisoned pursuant to a new arrest warrant issued in connection with another case. Since then, his family and defense team have considered his detention to be arbitrary and unlawful, particularly in the absence of developments in the proceedings underlying his imprisonment.

Human Rights Violations

The circumstances surrounding Bachir Akremi’s detention raise serious concerns regarding the right to liberty, protection against arbitrary detention, and the right to a fair trial.

His forced placement in a psychiatric hospital following a decision to release him, without his alleged knowledge or access to the medical report on which the decision was based, raises concerns regarding procedural safeguards and his right to information and defense. His subsequent imprisonment under a new arrest warrant has also been considered by his family and defense team to constitute arbitrary and unlawful detention.

These circumstances may constitute violations of Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.”

They also raise concerns regarding the principle of equality before the law and equal protection under the law, as enshrined in Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Sources

The case of Bachir Akremi was documented based on communication between Intersection Association and his son, his son’s testimony, and several media statements made by his family and defense team.