[legal-professionals] Tunisia: ICJ condemns violent attacks on former Judge Mokhtar Yahyaoui

PRESS RELEASE - COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE - COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

12 December 2002    IMMEDIATE

Tunisia:  ICJ condemns violent attacks on former Judge Mokhtar Yahyaoui

The Center for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL) of the
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today expressed its deep dismay at
the violent attacks against former Tunisian judge Mokhtar Yahyaoui which
occurred yesterday afternoon in front of a colleague's office.  Mr.
Yahyaoui, who is a founding member and President of the Tunisian Center for
the Independence of the Judiciary, suffered blows to his head, nose and
mouth which left him bleeding.

"It is outrageous that in a country such as Tunisia, a former judge can be
viciously attacked and left bleeding on the street", said Louise
Doswald-Beck, Secretary-General of the ICJ. "We deplore this violence and
demand that an immediate investigation be launched and that the attackers be
brought to justice" she added.

Mr. Yahyaoui stated that his attacker, a large man, blocked his entrance
into the building and ordered him to go outside. According to Judge
Yahyaoui: "I tried to resist but couldn't grab the door.  He dragged me into
Charles de Gaulle St. all the while insulting me loudly.  Two other agents
joined him and I was able to cling onto the bars of a window.  They kicked
me on the ankles to make me fall but they didn't succeed.  It was at that
point that I was punched - the first time in my life - in the face."

Mr. Yahyaoui and Mr. El Bhiri had been on their way to pick up lawyer Nejib
Hosni, from the airport.  Mr. Hosni had been in Geneva the previous day to
discuss the situation of lawyers in Tunisia with the ICJ and give a public
presentation on the same subject.

Mr. Yahyaoui was dismissed as a judge on 29 December 2001 for having written
an open letter to President Ben Ali lamenting executive interference in the
work of the judiciary.  He is a founder of the International Association for
the Support of Political Prisoners, a recently created organization.

The ICJ has in the past condemned attacks on the legal profession and human
rights defenders in Tunisia.  The ICJ intervened several times on behalf of
Mr. Yahyaoui, most recently in March 2002.


For more information, please contact Linda Besharaty-Movaed, Legal Advisor,
at 41-22-979-3800.