Ten Tunisian associations call on Parliament to complete formation of Transitional Justice Commission

On Thursday, ten Tunisian non-governmental associations called on the Parliament to fill the vacancy in the structure of the Truth and Dignity Commission (constitutional, independent and concerned with transitional justice), in order to “complete the process and the success of transitional justice.”

This came in the context of a joint statement distributed to journalists during a conference held by these associations today in the capital Tunis.

The participating associations in this joint statement include the Tunisian Network for Transitional Justice, the “Tounissiat” association and the Tunisian Human Rights League.

The associations also called on the government to “provide the needed support and the necessary budget in order for the Commission to fulfil all of its obligations.”

Saleh Mansour, head of the Tunisian Network for Transitional Justice, told Anadolu that “the Parliament is required to fill the gap in the structure of the Council of Truth, and the Presidency of the Republic of Tunisia is also required to issue the necessary laws for the success of the democratic transition and the compensation of the victims of tyranny.”

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Last June, the Tunisian parliament did not succeed in electing seven new members of the board (out of a total of 16 members) to replace the resigning members, because candidates did not collect enough votes from deputies.

Hind Bouziri, member of the “Tounissiat” association said also to Anadolu that: “We are working with international commissions that are concerned with the transitional justice process in Tunisia in order to complete it, because Tunisia needs to turn the page of the past.”

The Truth and Dignity Commission is an independent constitutional commission established by a law issued on 24 December, 2013, regarding the establishment and administration of transitional justice.

The Commission is responsible for the application of the Transitional Justice Act and for the inspection of any alleged human rights abuses between 1 July, 1955 (independence from France) and 24 December, 2013 (date of the establishment of the Commission).

According to the Commission, it has received 62,695 files related to violations of human rights and others, crimes of torture and murder, as well as issues related to financial and administrative corruption, the seizure of State properties and others.