Summary

The Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed, visited Tunisia from 9 to 19 April 2018. In the present report, he notes that the country’s longstanding traditions of religious tolerance and commitment to equality, including the rights of women, have placed the country on a positive trajectory to consolidate human rights protections. That foundation has been reinforced by the adoption of the new Constitution in 2014, which provides for strong human rights safeguards and an institutional framework to uphold those rights. He also notes that the Constitution upholds freedom of religion or belief for all, protects the right to religious dissent and conversion, and guarantees equal citizenship and non-discrimination. The withdrawal of reservations concerning the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and legislation to further advance the rights of women are significant milestones in the country’s progress. The Special Rapporteur further notes the easing of post-revolutionary political tensions that had resulted from the accommodation reached between the leading secular and Islamist parties, the vital role of civil society in promoting human rights and the Government’s cooperative relations with traditional religious minorities.

In the report, the Special Rapporteur also highlights a number of concerns, including incitement to violence in the name of religion or belief, vaguely worded counter-terrorism laws that target the peaceful expression of beliefs, laws that criminalize consensual samesex relations and contribute to hostility and violence against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, the polarization of society along secular and religious lines with little dialogue among those groups and communities, and gaps in the legal framework that undermine constitutional guarantees.