VZCZCXYZ0009
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #2527 2840922
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110922Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1998
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TUNIS 002527 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG (EHOPKINS AND MHARRIS) AND DRL 
NSC/NESA 
NEA/PPD (AFERNANDEZ AND DFOLEY) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL KPAO TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE ISSUES 
COMMUNIQUE 
 
REF: TUNIS 2501 
 
¶1. The Bizerte Chapter of the Tunisian Human Rights 
League (LTDH) on October 6 issued a communique 
protesting the forcible blocking by plain-clothes 
police of a meeting the previous day between U.S. 
Embassy officials and members of the Bizerte LTDH 
branch (reftel).  An informal English translation of 
the statement, which was released in Arabic and 
disseminated on tunisnews.net, follows. 
 
¶2. Begin Text of LTDH - Bizerte Communique: 
Tunisian Human Rights League -- Bizerte chapter 
Bizerte, October 6, 2006 
Communique 
 
The steering committee of the Tunisian Human Rights 
League Bizerte chapter announces that on Thursday, 
October 5, 2006, the security forces banned the 
committees meeting with three American diplomats, led 
by the Political Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy 
in Tunis, who had requested a meeting with the 
committee during a visit to Bizerte. 
 
Upon the arrival of the diplomatic car, security 
forces in plain clothes arrived in great numbers and 
prevented the committee members and the diplomats from 
entering the Leagues headquarters. 
 
The Bizerte chapters committee informs Tunisian 
public opinion of the above incident and would like to 
stress the following points: 
 
-- The committee rejects the repressive methods of 
banning the meetings and the activities of the chapter 
in Bizerte and of all the other Leagues chapters. 
 
-- The absence of any legal justification for such 
aggressive methods confirmed the repressive policy 
adopted by the Government against the League. A policy 
in obvious violation of the law and the constitution 
particularly since the banning decision occurs, every 
ery 
time, verbally and the security forces never present a 
written document to justify their action legally. 
 
-- The committee remains convinced of the legality of 
the present Leagues national steering committee and 
of our right, as members of the League, to hold our 
6th congress away from the Governments efforts to 
impose submission and containment on our organization. 
 
-- The committee reiterates its determination to carry 
on its activities as stipulated by the Leagues 
internal regulations and international human rights 
conventions. The committee will continue to defend 
human rights and uncover the constant violations in 
this field that the Tunisian authorities are trying to 
hide by imposing repression against the League and all 
other independent human rights organizations in 
Tunisia. 
 
For the committee, Ali Be Salem, President. 
End Text. 
BALLARD 
RD