Five years after President Kais Saied seized extraordinary executive powers on July 25, 2021, Tunisia’s human rights situation has deteriorated dramatically, said Human Rights Watch in its latest update report issued Tuesday “What began as a slide back into authoritarianism has hardened into systematic repression of civil society organizations, journalists, political opponents, independent lawyers, and […]
Tag: HRW
Tunisia: HRW Decries Suspension of Right Groups that Shaped Democracy
Human Rights Watch has condemned the decision of the Tunisian authorities to suspend operations of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, a longstanding refuge for human rights defenders. Founded in 1976, the league has been repeatedly targeted since its inception. Many of its leaders were arbitrarily arrested under the governments of both Habib Bourguiba and […]
Tunisia: HRW decries arbitrarily detention & sham trials of activists
Human Rights Watch has denounced the arrest of three Tunisian prominent activists and their unjust convictions in a sham trial on charges of conspiracy and terrorism. On November 27, 2025, a Tunis Appeal Court sentenced 34 defendants in the politically motivated “Conspiracy Case”, including political opponents, activists, and lawyers, to between 5 and 45 years […]
Islamic State resurgence in Niger exposes civilian vulnerability — HRW report
A recent surge in attacks by the Islamic State in the Sahel Province (IS Sahel) has left more than 127 civilians dead in Niger’s Tillabéri region, according to a latest report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The watchdog group described the killings — carried out in at least five separate incidents since March — as […]
Mozambique’s forgotten war: over 120 children abducted by Islamist insurgents
At least 120 children have been abducted in recent days by Islamist insurgents in Mozambique’s northern oil-rich Cabo Delgado province, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported, adding that they were reportedly being forced into labor, used to transport looted goods, and in some cases turned into child soldiers or forced into marriage. The kidnappings mark […]
Burundi’s ‘clean sweep’ vote sparks fears of authoritarian consolidation
Burundi’s ruling party, CNDD-FDD, has claimed all 100 contested seats in the 5 June parliamentary election, prompting outcry from opposition groups and rights organizations who allege systematic electoral fraud and political repression. According to official results, CNDD-FDD secured 96.5% of the vote, with no other party surpassing the 2% threshold required for parliamentary representation. Opposition […]
HRW denounces EU shameful silence over growing erosion of human rights in Tunisia
Human Rights Watch has called on the European Union to break its silence and publicly condemn the deteriorating human rights situation in Tunisia. The EU member states should stop pretending they can satisfy their immediate interests by cozying up with an increasingly repressive leadership in Tunis, said HRW in its latest press release. The Tunisian […]
Tunisia: HRW denounces harsh & sham trials against political opponents
Human Rights Watch has denounced the harsh and unfair sentences issued lately by a Tunisian court against political opponents of the authoritarian regime of Kais Saeid. Prison sentences of up to 66 years were handed down to 37 politicians, businessmen, and lawyers in politically-motivated sham trials, said HRW, decrying quash unfair proceedings. The Tunis Court […]
Widespread repression reported in Tunisia amid concerns over human rights rollback
In a report released on Wednesday, April 16, Human Rights Watch has alleged that politically motivated arrests and prosecutions have been increasingly utilized in Tunisia to suppress dissent and intimidate critics of the current Administration. Freedoms that had been hard-won during the 2011 revolution are reported to have been severely curtailed, with lawyers, judges, journalists, […]
Rights watchdog calls for investigation into B. Faso massacre linked to gov’t-aligned militias
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling for an investigation into a brutal massacre in Burkina Faso, where dozens of civilians were reportedly killed by government-aligned militias. The attack occurred in the western city of Solenzo, with video footage circulating on social media showing bodies of ethnic Fulani civilians, including women, children and elderly, bound and […]









