UN experts call for fair trial for former Tunisian truth commission President

Independent UN human rights experts urged Tunisia on Thursday to ensure a fair trial for Sihem Bensedrine, the former president of the Truth and Dignity Commission (IVD), stating that her arrest might constitute "judicial harassment."

Bensedrine was arrested and jailed on August 1 following a complaint from an IVD member accusing her of falsifying parts of the commission's final report published in 2020. The IVD was established after Tunisia's 2011 revolution to shed light on human rights violations committed during years of dictatorship.

"In a context marked by the repression of numerous dissenting voices, the arrest of Ms. Bensedrine raises serious concerns about the respect for the right to freedom of opinion and expression in Tunisia and has a chilling effect on journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society in general," the experts said in a statement. "This arrest could constitute judicial harassment," they added.

The independent experts, who do not speak on behalf of the UN, suggested that the arrest "seems aimed at discrediting the information contained in the commission's report, which could lead to legal actions against alleged perpetrators of corruption under previous regimes."

They called for "strict adherence to Ms. Bensedrine's right to judicial guarantees, including the right to a fair trial, respect for procedures, impartiality, and independence, and an end to abusive proceedings and reprisals against her."

Established in 2014 following the uprising that ended the dictatorship in 2011, the IVD was tasked with cataloging violations committed by state representatives from 1955 to 2013. This period covers the presidencies of Habib Bourguiba (1957-1987), his successor Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (1987-2011), and the post-revolutionary turmoil.