Court confirms ban on human rights group

AFP - Tunisia reaffirmed Sunday its ban on the Tunisian League for Human Rights, after the group had tried to celebrate its 33rd anniversary, a government source said.
   
A Tunis appeal court confirmed a 2001 ruling that prevents the rights group conducting all activities and also barred the group from holding an annual congress, the source said.
   
On Friday, the League's director Mokhtar Trifi had challenged the ruling and asked "authorities to stop interfering in the League's affairs."
   
Trifi said the ruling was illegal. He added that "a large number" of activists, supporters and diplomats in Tunis for the anniversary had been prevented from entering the LTDH's headquarters, surrounded by police.
   
The court reiterated that the League "can only act when given a precise mission defined by the law."
   
The League, which was founded in 1977, has been involved in a political and judicial battle with Tunisian authorities since its last conference in 2000 when it accused the government of provoking a rebellion within its ranks.
   
Tunisia however had said the LTDH had been hit by an "internal crisis."