The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) expresses its full solidarity with the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) following the authorities’ decision to suspend its activities.
On 24 April 2025, the authorities in Tunisia decided to suspend the activities of LTDH for one month, without providing any explanation or reasons for this unjust decision.
On the same day, LTDH issued a statement signed by its president, human rights lawyer Bassem Trifi, describing the decision as “an arbitrary and dangerous measure that constitutes a flagrant violation of freedom of association and assembly, and a direct attack on one of the most important democratic and human rights gains for which Tunisian men and women have struggled.”
The statement added, “This measure cannot be considered isolated from the general context in which the country is experiencing a systematic escalation of restrictions on civil society and free and independent voices.”
LTDH also affirmed in its statement that “this measure constitutes a blatant violation of Decree No. 88 of 1988 regulating the work of associations, and a clear breach of the Constitution and international obligations.”
LTDH announced to the national public opinion in the statement that “it will not hesitate to appeal this unjust decision and to provide all the information that confirms its respect for all laws and regulations related to its activities.”
LTDH is considered one of the oldest human rights organisations in the Arab world. It was founded on 14 May 1977, and received its legal authorisation to operate on 07 May 1977. Since its inception, it has worked to promote a culture of human rights and defend the public freedoms of citizens.
On 09 October 2015, the Nobel Committee announced that the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, including LTDH, had won the Nobel Peace Prize for their contribution to building democracy in Tunisia.
In October 2025, the authorities suspended the activities of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD), the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), and the independent website Nawaat for one month. The following month, November 2025, the authorities also suspended the Tunisian branch of the World Organisation Against Torture for one month. This targeting of other institutions is part of a systematic and ongoing pattern of repression.
GCHR strongly condemns this arbitrary decision against the Tunisian League for Human Rights, one of the leading human rights organisations in the Arab region. GCHR believes that the League is being targeted solely because of its peaceful and legitimate human rights activities and its remarkable success in defending the civil and human rights of all citizens in Tunisia.
GCHR calls on the Tunisian authorities to immediately rescind this arbitrary decision, enable the Tunisian League for Human Rights to carry out its work in promoting a culture of human rights in the country, defending the civil and human rights of citizens without exception, and provide it with a healthy environment to carry out its tasks without any form of harassment, including judicial harassment.
