8 February 2013: The ITUC has firmly condemned the killing, on 6 February, of Tunisian opposition leader Mr Chokri Belaïd, and has expressed full support for the general strike called by its Tunisian affiliate, the UGTT.
Shocked and angered, the people of Tunisia reacted instantaneously, taking to the streets of the capital and cities across the country in their thousands. "The situation in Tunisia remains extremely worrying," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. "This killing is inadmissible and forms part of the campaign of violence being waged over the last few months against trade union leaders, journalists, political activists and ordinary citizens. The UGTT, a key player in the revolution and an indispensable driving force in the transition towards full democracy and social justice, can count on the international trade union movement’s total support."
The ITUC, backing the UGTT’s call for a national day of mourning this Friday, also urged the authorities to take very action necessary to fully investigate this crime, to ensure that those responsible for killing Chokri Belaïd are tracked down and brought to justice.
The ITUC also reiterated its concern over the repeated attacks suffered by the UGTT, the latest of which was in December.
"We will remain extremely vigilant, to make sure that the Tunisian government respects its commitment to put an end to the anti-union violence and to bring the culprits to justice," concluded ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.
*name of the paramilitary organisation responsible for assassinating the Tunisian trade union leader Farhat Hached in 1952.
