COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker
Keep Civic Space Healthy
This tracker monitors government responses to the pandemic that affect civic freedoms and human rights, focusing on emergency laws. For information about our methodology, click here.
For more information and analysis by region, click here.
The COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker is a collaborative effort by the ICNL, ECNL, and our global network of partners, with generous research support from the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin. This is an ongoing effort, and we welcome you to email us at adeblock@icnl.org and simona@ecnl.org to share additional resources.
Law No. 30 of 2020 Granting Prime Minister Power to Issue Decrees to Combat the Spread of Covid-19
Under Article 70 of Tunisia's Constitution, the Parliament adopted a law allowing the Prime Minister to issue decrees for two months without referring to the legislature. After the two-month period, any decrees issued by the prime minister will be submitted to parliament for ratification.
(See primary source or citation here)Introduced 4 Apr 2020
Type: law
Ban on Gatherings
The Prime Minister announced a ban on all gatherings and public or private demonstrations.
(See primary source or citation here)Introduced 10 Apr 2020
Issue(s): Assembly
Type: order
Governmental Decree No. 2020-152 of 13 March 2020
The decree declares COVID-19 a communicable disease, governed by Law No. 92-71 of 1992 on communicable diseases, which allows authorities to apply quarantine, prevention, and control measures. The declaration also allows the government to impose criminal sanctions provided for in other legislation, such as Article 312 of the Penal Code, which provides that anyone who contravenes prohibitions and prophylactic or control measures ordered in times of epidemic can be punished with six months' imprisonment and a fine. (See primary source or citation here)
Introduced 13 Mar 2020
Issue(s): Movement
Type: order
Contact-Tracing App Raises Privacy Concerns
Tunisia's contact-tracing application tracks individuals' whereabouts in real time, using Bluetooth signals and GPS location data, to detect users who may have had contact with individuals infected with COVID-19. The app uploads location data and personal information including phone numbers to a centralized database that is accessible to the National Observatory of Emerging Diseases. (See primary source or citation here)
Introduced 19 May 2020
Issue(s): Surveillance, Privacy
Type: practice
Arrests for Criticism of Government's COVID Response
Authorities have arrested journalists, bloggers, activists, and others after they criticized the government's response to the pandemic. Individuals who have criticized officials' failure to abide by COVID-19 safety measures, or officials' distribution of pandemic aid, have faced various charges under Tunisia's Penal Code, including “causing noises and disturbances to the public†(Article 316); “insulting a civil servant†(Article 125); and “accusing public officials of crimes related to their jobs without furnishing proof of guilt†(Article 128), among others. (See primary source or citation here)
Introduced 28 Apr 2020
Issue(s): Disinformation, Press Freedom, Expression
Type: practice
Deployment of Surveillance Robots
The Interior Ministry has deployed surveillance robots in parts of the capital, Tunis, to ensure that individuals are observing the government's lockdown orders. Individuals approached by the robot must present their ID and papers for the police to verify remotely.
(See primary source or citation here)Introduced 3 Apr 2020
Issue(s): Surveillance, Privacy
Type: practice