GENEVA – Geneva Council for rights and Justice (GCRJ) called on the Tunisian authorities to open an immediate and independent investigation into the death of a Tunisian national while in detention inside a security headquarters.
The Council receives statements on the death of a Tunisian citizen, Ayoub Ben Faraj, who was living in Czech Republic during his visit to his country to inspect his family.
GCRJ expressed its shock at the uncertainty surrounding the death of the Tunisian citizen and the failure of the official authorities to issue an official comment or declare an investigation into the incident so far.
The council was informed that the body of Bin Faraj was still under postmortem examination and that an official in the security center had died. In addition, two witnesses had been arrested to hear their account of the incident.
GCRJ stressed that what happened was disgraceful and could lead to extrajudicial killings in the event of proven torture, stressing the responsibility of the Tunisian authorities to open a comprehensive investigation into the incident and hold those involved.
It highlighted that the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 contained a number of provisions that categorically prohibited torture or cruel or inhuman treatment and assault on personal dignity.
The surroundings of the National Guard Center in Baraka Sahel in the city of Hammamet, from Nabeul province in Tunisia, witnessed a state of tension last night, which reached the point of throwing stones at the headquarters of the Center, following the death of Ben Faraj.
The attack on the National Guard Center prompted security agents to call for reinforcements to surround the scene and confront the angry with tear gas to disperse the protesters.
