- Human Rights Watch has urged Tunisia to stop sending black African migrants in large groups to a desert region close to the Libyan border. Since being chased out of the coastal city of Sfax last week, hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have been left trapped in deplorable conditions in the south of Tunisia.
- The rights group’s announcement follows the funeral of a 41-year-old Tunisian who was fatally stabbed in Sfax on Monday, amid a backdrop of violence. Many people who wish to travel to Europe by sea embark via Sfax, the second-largest city in North Africa.
- Since July 2, Tunisian security forces have deported several hundred Black African migrants and asylum seekers, with many alleging police abuse during arrest or deportation.
- HRW calls on the government of Tunisia to put an end to mass expulsions and allow aid to reach the African migrants and asylum seekers who have already been sent to a dangerous area. The group also requests that the Tunisian authorities look into and prosecute any security personnel who have committed wrongdoing.
