ALBAWABA - An investigation by The Guardian revealed that EU-backed security forces in Tunisia are accused of committing crimes including widespread sexual violence against immigrants, following a €150m deal between Tunisia and the EU to combat illegal immigration.
The investigation revealed that the money was used to fund sexual violation schemes, where security force personnel are believed to have raped migrant women arriving on or leaving the Tunisian shores.
According to European funding rules, funds must be used in a way that upholds basic rights. Stricter guidelines were implemented in 2021 to make sure that no money is spent violates human rights.
But before the EU-Tunisia agreement was made public last year, no human rights impact assessment was done. Tunis received payment for the funds in March.
Catherine Woollard, director of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, stated that a migration accord aimed at preventing individuals from reaching Europe by boat from North Africa would inevitably result in human rights violations.
In July, the EU and Tunisia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that includes measures to counter irregular migration and provides financial help from the EU to enhance Tunisia's border control.
In accordance with the terms of the MoU, the EU will give Tunisia EUR 105 million for border management training and technical assistance, anti-smuggling operations, and border control reinforcement.
The European Union’s ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, has focused her investigation on the deal's compatibility with EU's human rights obligations.
O'Reilly is expected to release a report of the initial results of the investigation, including the accord’s integrity and whether measures are in place to suspend EU funding if human rights violations are identified, The Guardian reported.
"If you discover that equipment that you have funded to Tunisia is being used in a way that damages the fundamental rights of migrants, are you going to get the money back? How are you going to get the money back?" O'Reilly stated.
