Tunisia: ITUC Condemns Killing of Mohamed Brahmi

Tunisia: ITUC Condemns Killing of Mohamed Brahmi

Brussels, 29 July 2013 (ITUC OnLine): The ITUC has firmly condemned the killing on 25 July 2013 of Tunisian opposition leader Mohamed Brahmi, general coordinator of the People's Movement, a member of the National Constituent Assembly and a leading figure in the Popular Front coalition, and expressed its full support for the general strike called for 26 July by its Tunisian affiliate, the UGTT.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) considers the situation in Tunisia to be unacceptable, as armed militias are being allowed to sow terror on the streets of Tunisia without any reaction from the public authorities, without consequential measures being taken against the perpetrators of the violence and without justice being served.

Tunisians were stunned by the news. "The situation in Tunisia still remains extremely worrying," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. "This killing is intolerable and follows on from a long line of attacks against trade union leaders, journalists, political activists and ordinary citizens over recent months."

The ITUC, backing the UGTT's call for a general strike on Friday 26 July, also urged the authorities to take every action necessary to fully investigate this crime and ensure that those responsible for killing Mohamed Brahmi are tracked down and brought to justice. The UGTT has also called for "all national dialogue meetings and initiatives to be suspended and for the UGTT National Administrative Commission to meet on Monday 29 July 2013 to assess the overall situation in the country and to take every measure deemed necessary and appropriate".

"We will remain extremely vigilant over the coming weeks to make sure that the Tunisian government respects its commitment to put an end to the violence and to bring to justice those responsible for the recent acts of violence," said Sharan Burrow.

The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 156 countries and territories and has 315 national affiliates.

ENDS

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