Update on situation of 36 persons deported from Tunisia to Libyan border: 24 persons brought back, 12 persons missing in Libya

As various Tunisian and international Human Rights organisations reported, 36 ivorian citizens were recently deported from Tunisia to the desert at the Libyan border and even forced to cross the border and go to Libya.

As a result of international awareness and pressure, 24 persons could return to Tunisian territory; 6 women and 2 children were brought to a reception center in Médenine while 16 men were brought to Tunis.

What is very worrying is that 12 persons are still missing and are supposed to have disappeared to Libya.

Due to this situation, Alarme Phone Sahara stays on alert to know about what happened to the 12 persons who were made disappear to Libyan territory. We urgently demand clarification from the responsible Tunisian authorities concerning the whereabouts and the present situation of these 12 persons and to bring them back to Tunisian territory, to the places where they had been living before being arrested for deportation. Human lives are the most sacred thing. We will not stop the outcry until clarification and justice has been brought to the situation of the remaining 12 Ivorian citizens.

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We call to continue sending protest fax letters and emails and doing phone calls to th Tunisian ministry of interior and to Tunisian embassies to demand clarification about the 12 persons missing in Libya and to bring them back to Libya:

Ministry of interior : Mr Hichem Fourati

Avenue Habib Bourguiba, 1000 Tunis

Tél. : +216 71 347 929

Fax : + 216 71 347 929

Tunisian embassy Berlin, Germany:

Tel.: +49 30-36410710
Fax: +49 30-30820683
Email: at.berlin@tunesien.tn

Tunisian embassy Paris, France:

Tel.: +33 1 45 55 95 98

Email: at.paris@diplomatie.gov.tn

Tunisian embassy Vienna, Austria:

Tel.: +43 1 440.2144

Fax: +43 1 581 5592

Email: at.vienne@aon.at

Tunisian embassy The Hague, Netherlands:

Tel.: +31 70 351 22 51

Fax: +31 70 351 43 23

Email: at.lahaye@diplomatie.gov.tn ; ambassadetunisie@ziggo.nl

Subject: Deportation of 36 Ivorian persons to the Libyan border – 12 persons still missing in Libya

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are happy that as a result of international awareness and pressure, 24 persons could return to Tunisian territory; 6 women and 2 children were brought to a reception center in Médenine while 16 men were brought to Tunis.

At the same time, we are are worried and upset as we have been informed that 12 persons are still missing and are supposed to have disappeared to Libya.

We urgently demand clarification from the responsible Tunisian authorities concerning the whereabouts and the present situation of these 12 persons and to bring them back to Tunisian territory, to the places where they had been living before being arrested for deportation.

Human lives are the most sacred thing. We will not stop the outcry until clarification and justice has been brought to the situation of the remaining 12 Ivorian citizens.

Yours sincerely,

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