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kept under constant surveillance. In 2003, he co-founded the Tunisian Association against
Torture (ATLT). He and his colleagues have been subjected to harassment, threats and violence
by the Tunisian Government.
2.2 In March 2000, CNLT published a report setting out in detail all the systematic
human rights violations committed by the Tunisian Government, including acts of torture.
On 3 April 2000, Mr. Ben Brik, a journalist and friend of the complainant, began a hunger strike
in protest against the withdrawal by the Tunisian authorities of his passport, constant police
harassment and a boycott of his work by the Tunisian media. On 26 April 2000 the complainant
went to visit Mr. Ben Brik and noticed a large number of people around the house. Among them
he recognized several plain-clothes policemen, some of whom had been involved in the
surveillance and numerous closures of CNLT offices. These policemen prevented foreign
journalists from approaching Mr. Ben Brik’s house. The complainant tried to flee, but was struck
on the back of the neck, and partially lost consciousness. Other people were also beaten and
arrested by the police.
2.3 Along with the others, the complainant was brought to El Manar 1 police station, where he
was hit many times on the back of the head and neck and was kicked by several officers. He was
subsequently dragged 15 metres along the courtyard face down and up a flight of stairs leading
to the police station. His clothes were torn and he was left with abrasions on his lower body.
He continued to be beaten, in particular by one policeman who he later learned was Mr. Abdel
Baqui Ben Ali. Another officer sprayed tear gas in his face, which burned his eyes and choked
him. A policeman banged his head against a wall, leaving him unconscious for an undetermined
period. When he came to, he found himself in a puddle of water on the floor of the main hall of
the police station. He asked to be taken to the toilet, as he felt prostate pain, a condition which he
had suffered from for several years. When the policemen refused, he was obliged to drag himself
along the floor to the toilets.
2.4 A little later, he was told to go to an office a few metres further on. He was once again
obliged to drag himself along the floor. Three police officers tried to force him to sit on a chair.
He was then hit on the back of the neck and briefly lost consciousness. When he came to, he
realized that he was being thrown in the back of a car, then fainted from pain. He was dumped at
a construction site. He was discovered there in the late afternoon by three workers who found
him a taxi to take him to hospital. At the hospital, medical tests confirmed that he had severe
injuries to the spine, head injuries and bruises. Despite the doctors’ concern, for fear of the police
he decided as early as the next day to leave hospital and return to his home in Bizerte. Ever since
he has suffered from serious back problems and has had difficulty standing up, walking and even
carrying small objects. Doctors have advised back surgery. He also suffers from shoulder
injuries. Because he cannot afford surgery, he has to take painkillers.
2.5 On 20 June 2000 the complainant lodged a complaint with the office of the Public
Prosecutor describing the ill-treatment to which he had been subjected by policemen at
El Manar 1 police station, requesting the Public Prosecutor to open a criminal investigation
into the incident and implicating the Ministers of the Interior and of National Security.
The Public Prosecutor’s office would not accept the complaint, on the grounds that it was not