Human Rights Watch has condemned the Tunisian security forces for collectively expelling several hundred African migrants and asylum seekers, including children and pregnant women, to a militarized buffer zone at the Tunisia-Libya border. The expulsions, conducted without due process, have taken place since July 2, 2023, and have been accompanied by reports of violence by authorities during arrest or expulsion.
According to Human Rights Watch, more than 500 to 700 people have been expelled to the border area, around 35 kilometers east of the town of Ben Guerdane. The expelled individuals come from various African nationalities, including Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mali, Guinea, Chad, Sudan, and Senegal. Among them are at least 29 children and three pregnant women. Some of the expelled individuals were registered asylum seekers with the UN Refugee Agency, while others held consular cards identifying them as students in Tunisia.
The expulsions followed raids conducted by police, national guard, or military forces in and near the port city of Sfax, resulting in arrests and subsequent transport of the individuals to Ben Guerdane and the border area. Human Rights Watch received testimonies alleging violence, including beatings and sexual harassment or assault, during the arrests and transport.
Reports indicate that some individuals have died or been killed at the border area, including instances of shootings and beatings by Tunisian military or national guard. There are also allegations of robbery and sexual assault by Libyan men. The lack of access for nongovernmental groups has made independent verification of these accounts challenging.
Human Rights Watch has called on the Tunisian government to halt the collective expulsions and provide humanitarian assistance to the affected migrants and asylum seekers in the dangerous border zone. The organization emphasizes that collective expulsions violate international law and urges Tunisia to respect its obligations under international law, including protecting the civilian population and conducting individual legal status assessments before deportations.
Diplomatic delegations of African countries are urged to locate and evacuate their nationals who have been expelled and wish to return voluntarily. The African Union Commission is called upon to condemn the abusive expulsions and press Tunisia to provide immediate assistance to those affected.
Human Rights Watch emphasizes the urgency of the situation, highlighting the desperate need for food, medical care, and safety among the affected African migrants and asylum seekers.
