Tunisia’s migrant rights under siege as civic space shrinks

Tunisia’s suspension of the country’s leading migrant rights group has sent shockwaves through civil society,deepening fears about the country’s slide into authoritarianism while migrants bear the brunt of the crackdown.

The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES),long a lifeline for migrants and refugees,was ordered to halt operations for a month under the pretext of a financial audit. The group denounced the move as “arbitrary and unjust,” warning that the government is dismantling independent voices that refuse to pledge loyalty.

Rights watchdogs say the suspension is not an isolated act but part of a broader assault on freedoms.

Amnesty International has documented raids on NGOs,harassment of staff,and a smear campaign that has fueled xenophobia. Human Rights Watch reports beatings,arbitrary arrests,and collective expulsions of Black African migrants,describing a climate of fear where basic protections have evaporated.

The rhetoric from the top has only sharpened the edge. In February 2023,President Kais Saied claimed irregular migration was part of a “criminal plan” to alter Tunisia’s demographic makeup. He used a language echoing the far-right “Great Replacement” theory. His remarks unleashed a wave of racist violence,evictions,and arrests,leaving thousands of migrants stranded and terrified.

Once hailed as the Arab Spring’s lone success story,Tunisia now faces a bleak horizon. Civic space is shrinking,opposition voices are silenced,and migrants have become convenient scapegoats amid economic turmoil. For those seeking refuge or opportunity,the promise of safety has turned into a perilous gamble.