International scrutiny mounts over migrant rights abuses in Tunisia despite EU partnership agreements.
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International discussions are increasing regarding systematic migrant rights violations in Tunisia, highlighted by an international journalism project called “Puls,” which included coverage from Denmark’s independent digital news outlet “Føljeton.” Following a strategic partnership agreement between the EU and Tunisia in July 2023, involving €105 million for migration management and border security, reports have documented systematic abuses by Tunisian border police against African migrants, including torture, beatings, and abandonment at sea. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has also expressed concern over deportations to dangerous conditions. Activists face risks of arrest when defending migrant rights, as the government is reportedly criminalizing human rights organizations through foreign funding accusations. While the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) claims Tunisian police are being trained to European standards, the European Ombudsman investigated the EU’s commitment to upholding human rights under the agreement. The Ombudsman found that while a risk management assessment was conducted before signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a specific Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) was not performed, and monitoring mechanisms lack transparency. Although the Ombudsman concluded that existing measures partially compensate for this gap, they recommended publicly disclosing risk assessments, systematically reporting on human rights monitoring results, establishing clear criteria for suspending funding upon violations, and encouraging complaint mechanisms. Separately, EU efforts to combat irregular migration have led to a significant decrease in illegal border crossings into the EU since 2015, with 239,000 individuals recorded in 2024. Globally, over 123.2 million people are displaced due to conflict and persecution.
