The European Union Parliament has called for suspending certain EU support programs to the Ministries of Justice and Interior Affairs in Tunisia.

 

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, it deeply deplored President Kais Said's “instrumentalization of Tunisia's dire economic and political situation to stop the country's historical democratic transition.”

 

 

The Parliament also urged Tunisian authorities to “immediately release those arbitrarily detained including journalists, judges, lawyers and political activists and withdraw charges based on unfounded allegations.”

 

 

It called on the EU High Representative to publicly denounce the sharp deterioration of the human rights situation in Tunisia, and underlined that specific EU support programs to the Ministries of Justice and Interior should be suspended.

 

 

Tunisian security forces have carried out a campaign of arrests against activists and members of the opposition.

 

 

Said has said those detained are criminals, traitors and terrorists and that any judge who frees them should be considered their accomplice.