UN experts condemn ‘expulsion’ of migrants from Tunisia

Seven United Nations experts yesterday condemned Tunisia’s expulsion of dozens of migrants and asylum seekers, amid allegations that they had been subjected to racism and arbitrarily expelled to Libya where they may now be in danger.

“Dozens of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa remain in a precarious situation near the Tunisia-Libya border, where they lack access to shelter, food, water and medical care and face extreme threats of torture, abduction, and gender and sexual based violence,” the experts said in a joint statement.

“Tunisia’s expulsion of these migrants and asylum seekers, as well as its continued denial of their re-entry, may violate Tunisia’s obligations under international law,” the statement read.

“We are deeply concerned about the safety, dignity, physical integrity and living conditions of the migrants, particularly pregnant women and children, who are stranded at the Tunisia-Libya border,” it added.

The experts said they are alarmed over reports that some migrants who tried to seek entry to Tunisia, including one child, have been abducted by an unidentified group of armed men and held captive in Libya, while several others have reportedly been detained by Libyan authorities and taken to detention centres.

Tunisian authorities have made no comment on the statement.

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