Over the past two years, hundreds of women have been subjected to serious human rights violations in Ministry of the Interior and police custody, where the torture and ill-treatment of men had become routine. Dozens have been imprisoned as prisoners of conscience or possible prisoners of conscience following unfair trials. The majority of these women are wives and relatives of members and suspected activists of the illegal Islamic movement Al-Nahda (Renaissance), and of the illegal Tunisian Workers’ Communist Party (PCOT). Others are accused of political activities on behalf of these movements. This report examines some of these cases of arbitrary arrest, sexual assault and harassment, and torture and ill- treatment in illegal prolonged garde a vue detention.
