EuroMed Rights - 06/03/2025

On the night of 25 to 26 March, president Kais Saïed issued a statement calling for the intensification of so-called voluntary returns. Since 2025, the president says that “only” 1,544 people have returned to their countries of origin. In particular, he calls on IOM to strengthen its efforts, while the authorities continue to mistreat migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
On March 17, 2025, after being intercepted at sea by Tunisian forces, 600 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were abandoned in the desert near the Algerian-Libyan border. This incident is part of a series of frequent deportations in Tunisia since 2023. The migrants were intercepted at sea near Sfax. While 18 bodies were found, the rest disappeared, causing concern among local communities. There are reports of a violent eviction, where migrants were transported by bus, stripped of their belongings and abandoned in the desert.
On the night of March 16 to 17, several rescue operations were carried out by the Tunisian National Guard in the Sfax region. 612 people from sub-Saharan Africa were rescued and 18 people were found dead as a result of the capsizing of the boats.
On 12 March, the media outlet Nawaat published an article denouncing the situation of Tunisian migrants in Italy. Indeed, these migrants are detained in detention centres in inhumane conditions, where they are exposed to various forms of violence. These crimes seem to leave the Tunisian authorities indifferent, who do not guarantee any legal protection to their nationals.
On 12 March, Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti met with Azzouz Samri, IOM Chief of Mission in Tunisia, to discuss cooperation programmes, including the voluntary return of so-called irregular migrants. Nafti stressed the importance of effective coordination and awareness campaigns to promote this program and facilitate the reintegration of migrants. He reaffirmed Tunisia’s position that it does not want to be a transit or settlement country for so-called irregular migrants, while ensuring a safe return that respects human rights. A particularly ironic message when we see the number of violence suffered by migrants in Tunisia.
Kaïs Saïed’s anti-migrant discourse since February 2023 has had disastrous consequences on the lives of exiles in Tunisia and particularly on the lives of women. Indeed, they do not have access to contraception or gynaecological follow-up when they are pregnant. Worse still, sexual assault has become common for them, turning their lives into a living hell.

06/03/2025 – 02/04/2025

Contact Us

By email: [email protected]