Human Rights Groups Call for End to EU-Tunisia Migration Deal Amid Worsening Abuses

• 46 human rights and humanitarian organizations are calling on the EU to end migration cooperation with Tunisia, citing severe rights abuses.
• The 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed to curb irregular boat departures, but has led to systemic abuse, including torture, sexual violence, and death.
• The EU has provided EUR 105 million for border control in Tunisia, with EUR 65 million specifically for training and equipping the Tunisian Coast Guard and Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

Documentation of Abuses

• Since the deal's inception, reports confirm violent sea interceptions, arbitrary detentions, and collective expulsions to the desert.
• Tunisian authorities have fueled racist violence against Black Africans through discriminatory rhetoric and policies.
• Humanitarian space has shrunk significantly, with the government cracking down on civil society and suspending the UNHCR's asylum determination processes since June 2024.

Political Implications

• The same state institutions receiving EU support—the National Guard and police—are actively repressing political dissent, journalists, and judicial independence.
• Despite EU designation of Tunisia as a "safe country" in February 2026, experts warn the state is neither safe for migrants nor for its own citizens.
• Advocates demand the EU prioritize human rights over migration control, urging concrete benchmarks and accountability for the ongoing authoritarian crackdown.