El-Nahda Movement Condemns Restrictions by Tunisian Government

The Tunisian security authorities prevented the meeting of 18th Oct. Association for Rights and Freedom from being held in the headquarters of the Democratic Bloc for Action and Freedom Party. In addition, they attacked some of the association members such as Ayashy el-Hamamy, the president of the Press Syndicate, Lotfy Haggy, a reporter for Al-Jazeera Channel, Hamah el-Hamamy, the leader of the Communist Labor Party, and Abdel Aziz el-Sakher, a student.  

 

 

Furthermore, security-backed newspapers launched a vile campaign against Mr. Nageeb el-Shabby, the Secretary General of the Progressive Democratic Party after his performance of Hajj. The authorities, besides, besieged the party.  Regardless allegations of women emancipation, the security bodies assaulted activists of the Assembly for Female Democrats. More boldly is the harassment of families of the political prisoners, for example, the intimidation of Mrs. Hamady el-Gebaly, the ex-president of el-Nahda Movement, who is now a political prisoner.  Former prisoners are facing tough restrictions, for instance, Idrees el-Neauy, who is fined heavily for violating the ’oppressive’ administrative supervision.      

 

Following up the government escalation and attacks, el-Nahda Movement:

         Expresses its full solidarity with the victims of the regime persecution, particularly the members of 18th Oct. Association and the Secretary General of the Progressive Democratic Party.   

         Strongly condemns these assaults and violent practices, calling on the government to halt them and to account perpetrators.

         Voices its complete support for 18th Oct. Association for Rights and Freedom, paying tribute to its persistence.

         Urges all national powers to unify their efforts to attain democracy and freedom.

 

Feb, 2006

The Tunisian El-Nahda Movement

      Sheikh Rashed el-Ganoshy