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Written question asked by Fabian Hamilton (Labour) on Friday, 29 August 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 September 2025. It was answered by Hamish Falconer (Labour) on Thursday, 18 September 2025 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Tunisia: Political Prisoners

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Tunisian counterpart on (a) the detention of political figures in Tunisia in recent years and (b) compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Answer

The UK monitors the situation in Tunisia closely. As noted in a statement by the UK at the Human Rights Council last October, the space for political participation in Tunisia has shrunk considerably and the way legitimate political actors have been arrested raises serious questions about the independence of the judiciary.

During my visit to Tunisia in July, I raised our concerns on the human rights and civil society environment with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and met with representatives of Tunisian civil society to understand more about the situation. The Foreign Secretary also noted the importance of political participation and human rights in discussions with the Tunisian Government in January. Our Ambassador in Tunisia regularly raises individual cases of concern in discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UK actively explores a range of programmes and activities to encourage and support an open society.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
70304
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Human rights Political prisoners Tunisia International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk