作者： admin

Human rights organizations in Tunisia are demanding justice and systemic reform following the death of a young man who sustained fatal injuries during a police encounter in Kairouan. The incident has ignited public outrage and drawn attention to longstanding issues of police impunity in the North African nation.

Naim Briki, a thirty-year-old motorcycle rider, died on December 12th from severe head trauma and intracranial hemorrhage days after allegedly attempting to evade a police checkpoint on November 22nd. According to family accounts, Briki was violently beaten by multiple officers following a collision with a police vehicle during the pursuit. Photographic evidence released by the family reveals extensive facial injuries and significant swelling.

In a powerful joint statement, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH), and several other NGOs condemned what they described as “recurring tragedies linked to systematic police violence.” The organizations highlighted the persistent culture of impunity within law enforcement agencies that has allowed such incidents to continue unchecked.

Independent media outlet Inkyfada reports that at least 31 individuals have died at the hands of police since 2011, when mass protests toppled former President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and ignited the Arab Spring movement. Their investigation documents eight demonstration-related deaths, seven fatalities following police chases, and four deaths resulting from excessive force within police stations.

The problem extends beyond fatal encounters. According to Amnesty International, hundreds of complaints have been filed against Tunisian police for human rights violations and torture, with virtually none of the victims receiving fair trials. The organization notes that most investigations into security forces never progress beyond preliminary inquiries.

This climate of impunity has reportedly worsened since President Kais Saied’s July 2021 power grab, which dismantled checks and balances and intensified repression of dissenting voices. Rights defenders now fear a return to the police state tactics that characterized the Ben Ali era.

The announcement of Briki’s death sparked immediate protests in downtown Kairouan, where demonstrators clashed with security forces, threw projectiles, blockaded roads, and burned tires. Local media reported over 21 arrests related to the unrest, though 17 individuals were subsequently released while four remain detained under arrest warrants.

In response to mounting pressure, the public prosecutor’s office announced Monday the opening of a judicial inquiry into Briki’s death. Meanwhile, rights organizations continue to demand transparent investigations, an end to impunity for police violence, and genuine reform within security forces.

In a significant policy shift, the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police have declared that chanting the phrase ‘globalise the intifada’ or displaying it on placards at protests will now result in arrests. The announcement, made on Wednesday, follows the recent antisemitic massacre at Bondi Beach in Australia that killed 15 people and wounded 40 during Hanukkah celebrations.

Police authorities stated: ‘Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed – words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests.’ The forces indicated that frontline officers will receive specific briefing on this enhanced approach, which will include utilizing Public Order Act powers to implement protective conditions around London synagogues during services.

The move has received support from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which welcomed it as a ‘necessary intervention’ following their repeated urging. Health Secretary Wes Streeting previously claimed the chant was linked to terrorism, while British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis stated such chants ‘incite hatred and inspire people to engage in hate action,’ connecting them directly to the Bondi Beach attack.

However, pro-Palestine activists and civil society organizations have strongly contested these characterizations. Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, criticized what he called ‘the widespread attempt across the political establishment to use a grotesque and indefensible violent antisemitic massacre as a weapon to further repress those protesting for the rights of Palestinian people.’

Ismail Patel, chair of Friends of Al-Aqsa, explained that ‘intifada’ means ‘to shake off the Israeli occupation’ and argued that ‘globalising the intifada is simply a way of expressing global solidarity with efforts to end an illegal Israeli occupation.’ The term originates from the Arabic root ‘nafada,’ meaning ‘to shake off’ or ‘to rise up,’ and has been applied to both peaceful uprisings and armed resistance movements throughout Arab history.