American official discuss the file of political detainees in Tunisia
Tunisia-USA, Politics, 1/26/2004

The US under secretary of state in charge of human rights, democracy and labor, Lauren Kriner, said during his meeting in Tunisia with officials for the banned International Association in support for the political detainees that his country wants to increase contacts whether with the Tunisian society or the civil society in order to "support democracy in Tunisia. "

He was quoted by judge Mukhtar al-Yehyawi, member in this society saying that "there is no typical example of democracy for exportation." Al-Yahyawi added "we added that attention of the US under secretary of state for the very grave situation certain political detainees in Tunisia are suffering." He indicated that, they, in particular they indicated the case of four prisoners of old leaders of the al-Nahda party who have been observing food strike since 40 days and explained that the matter does not pertains to terrorist organization."

Kriner met in particular with lawyer Muhammad al-Nouri who defends several leaders of the banned Islamic al-Nahda party in Tunisia. Al-Nouri himself was sentenced by the beginning of the 1990s to two year -imprisonment under the charge of "defaming " in an article in which he criticized the army and issued by the paper of the said organization.

Judge al-Yahyawi was removed from his post after he had sent an open message to the Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali in which he criticized the dependence of judiciary in Tunisia.

The Tunisian authorities do not recognize the situation of the Islamists political prisoners whose number tolls 1000, according to the International Amnesty and consider them as "terrorists." Sentences were issued against them during trials carried out by the beginning of 1990s for the leaders of al-Nahda movement.

The US under secretary of state, who is in charge of human rights affairs, left Tunis on Friday evening following a 48- hour visit during which he was welcomed by the Tunisian foreign minister al-Habib Bin Yahya.

His visit, came following another visit made in December 2003 by the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, in which he had handed over the Tunisian President, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, an invitation to visit Washington on February 17th.

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