NGO warns of widespread torture in Tunisia’s prisons

By Rachid al-Grai

TUNIS

More than 400 cases of torture have been reported in prisons across Tunisia, a Tunisian NGO said Wednesday.

According to the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), however, alleged torture cases by the Tunisian regime -- which reportedly occurred in the period from October 2013 to October 2015 -- were "not systematic" in nature.

At a press conference held in capital Tunis, LTDH Director Abdessattar Ben Moussa attributed the phenomenon to "the prevailing mentality and culture in [Tunisian] prisons and detention camps".

Ben Moussa went on to assert that respect for public freedoms had recently improved in the North African country.

"But we can still do better," he said, going on to call for the reform of the country’s security and judicial authorities.

The Tunisian government, for its part, denies the existence of any "systematic" torture in the country’s prisons, describing such cases as "isolated incidents".