zihor Almashriqia

Tunis — Within just one week, the Tunisian government suspended the activities of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD) and the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) for a month, citing the need for financial audits and submission of all required documents.

This move has sparked criticism from associations that view it as a blow to civil society, which is governed by Decree No. 88 of 2011 — the law regulating the sector. However, other parties argue that such audits are necessary to ensure transparency in funding sources, especially during what they describe as an exceptional and sensitive period in the country.

The Tunisian authorities insist that the audits are legitimate measures and that organizations cleared of any suspicions will be allowed to resume their activities. They reject the notion that suspending activities constitutes harassment of civil society.

Nonetheless, activists in Tunisia express growing concern over what they call increasing restrictions on associations and civil society as a whole. They view these measures as an attempt to dismantle intermediary bodies and silence organizations seen as critical of the current government. Some link these steps to the recent protests in Gabès, suggesting that the decisions aim to divert public attention from pressing issues such as pollution, the cost of living, and the decline in purchasing power.

For reference, the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women has been active since the 1980s without interruption, while the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights was founded in 2011 and dedicates part of its work to defending rural women, migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in Tunisia, and environmental justice.

 

 

Abolishing Constitutional Bodies Undermines Democracy

Dalila Mahfoud, an activist with the Mouasawat organization, stated that Tunisia is currently witnessing an alarming escalation in violations of civil and political rights, accompanied by increasingly repressive restrictions on public and individual freedoms. She noted that Decree 54 targets freedom of expression, creativity, and the right to organize associations, unions, and political movements.

 

She argued that the hard-won freedoms achieved through years of struggle are now being dismantled, as the circle of repression widens to include activists from all sectors — political, civil, judicial, media, and cultural.

Mahfoud pointed to the dissolution of constitutional and regulatory bodies, which she said has undermined the principle of democracy, followed by the subjugation of the judiciary (Decree 35) and the administration (Decree 96), which have been used to suppress opposition voices through judicial harassment, arbitrary arrests, and unfair trials that disregard basic legal procedures.

She also condemned the ongoing repression of social protests, the prosecution of demonstrators, the government’s control over the media, and the targeting of social media users and civil society organizations under the pretext of hostility toward “intermediary bodies.”

Mahfoud expressed solidarity with the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, urging authorities to uphold the provisions of Decree 88 of 2011 and lift the suspension imposed on the association. She denounced what she described as a systematic assault on lawful organizations operating transparently, arguing that these measures aim to seize full control of the public sphere and undermine the gains of the revolution that made such associations possible.

She recalled that this trend began earlier with the suspension of Aswat Nisaa for one month, followed by the freezing of Manamati, an organization supporting migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in Tunisia, whose director, Saadia Mosbah, is currently imprisoned on charges of conspiracy against state security, money laundering, and other serious offenses.

Mahfoud concluded that the current goal appears to be the dismantling of the revolution’s achievements — foremost among them, freedom of expression, organization, and protest. She affirmed that these freedoms were won through struggle and must now be defended collectively against populist authoritarianism. She called on all democratic and progressive forces to intensify efforts to abolish repressive decrees and laws that threaten civil liberties and the independence of civil society .

 

Suspension of Associations Seen as Punishment for Political Stances

Human rights and feminist activist Janine Tlili stated that the campaign targeting organizations that safeguard rights and freedoms — which she described as the safeguard of democracy — has been underway for some time. She called the suspension of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women a dangerous precedent after 36 years of continuous work, noting that the closure leaves victims of violence without support.

She emphasized that for one month, many women will find themselves without recourse, as they will face delays and overcrowding in official listening and counseling centers. Even the Ministry of Family and Women, she noted, often refers victims to feminist associations such as the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, whose activities are now frozen.

 

Tlili described the suspension as a political act intended to punish associations that criticize public policies and hold reformist positions. She asserted that the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women would not stop its work and would continue to receive and support victims of violence.

She also recalled that the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights was suspended for the same reason — financial auditing — following similar measures against Aswat Nisaa and other organizations.

The decision comes less than a month before the annual International Days for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, for which the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women prepares an extensive program each year. This occurs at a time when, according to local reports, Tunisia has become increasingly unsafe for women due to the rise in violence and femicides.