For a transitional justice focused on the victims

Since January 2011, several Transitional Justice initiatives have been established, primarily related to reparations and the search for truth, but measures intended to respond quickly to victims' needs remained mostly separate and ad hoc. The bodies were set up without any real mechanisms for harmonisation and coordination, thus raising the question of relations between the various bodies, which were devised at different times and with different, sometimes overlapping mandates. The law on Transitional Justice was adopted by the ANC on 15 December 2013. Despite some criticism of the process leading to this adoption, the fact the law has come into effect may be an opportunity for the fulfilment of victims' rights. The bill on transitional justice provides for a set of mechanisms intended to seek the truth about violations of human rights, to bring criminal proceedings against the suspected perpetrators, to compensate and rehabilitate victims and to preserve the memory and establish guarantees of non-recurrence. In particular, this law provides for the creation of a "Truth and Dignity Commission", which will be tasked with shedding light on the violations committed since the country became independent and setting up a damages compensation fund. The law also emphasises the role of judicial institutions responsible for proceedings against alleged perpetrators, as well as the need for measures to protect witnesses and victims to be interviewed as part of the process. Finally, the law establishes the principle of reforming state institutions (but without specifying the outlines) to allow dismantling of the system of corruption, repression and dictatorship and to remedy it for the purpose of preventing repetition of such violations and ensuring respect for human rights and the establishment of the rule of law. This notable advance must be recognised. Nevertheless, a number of issues remain to be clarified. It is therefore essential to continue efforts in order that Transitional Justice remains on the political agenda and that effective mechanisms are put in place, but also to advocate that these mechanisms be both transparent, integrated and above all, focused on the needs of victims. The purpose of this action is to put victims of serious human rights violations at the centre of the Transitional Justice process, enabling the effective exercise of their rights before the Tunisian courts and contributing to the development of Transitional Justice mechanisms tailored to their needs.;