Tunisia: Walid Hosni remains disappeared - Tunisian authorities claim he "travelled to Italy"

After stepping out to buy groceries in the early hours of 30 September 2009, Walid Hosni, a 23 year old medical student from Naasen (Ben Arous governorate), near the capital Tunis, disappeared and his family has since lost contact with him. At the time of his disappearance he was not carrying any ID and had only intended be out of the house for a short while. His family fears the worst and believes that the Tunisian authorities are responsible for his disappearance.

As a result of his continued disappearance, Alkarama submitted his case to the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances requesting their intervention with the Tunisian authorities.

Since his disappearance his family has filed his case with every possible official security bureau and searched every nook and cranny in the region, including hospitals, yet still has no result.

On 2 October 2009, his father, Salah Hosni, went to Ben Arous Court to inform the State District Attorney of the Walid's disappearance and was the told that the Naassen police would be assigned to his son's case. An entire month passed without the police ever taking action.

Finally on 2 November 2009, his father paid a visit to Naassen‘s District Attorney's office to inform the prosecutor general that there had been absolutely no movement regarding his son's investigation. Eventually on 18 November 2009 officers from Mourouj district came to the Walid's family home to investigate the circumstances surrounding his sons disappearance. During questioning they apparently asked about Walid's daily activities and his religious practices.

The same officers later came back on 30 November 2009 and asked Walid's family the same questions. Later that same day officers from Fouchana raided the family home and thoroughly searched premises, particularly Walid's bedroom. The search was carried out without a warrant and without the officers ever specifying the reasons the foray.

Walid Hosni family were however able to take some reassurance from the raid, as it almost definately confirmed that the security services were in fact holding Walid. In fact, several arrests were carried out during the same period and in the same region; many of them followed by house raids.

Walid's relatives have continued to put pressure on the police however the authorities continue to hold back information regarding his whereabouts. As it turns out, the authorities decided that it was no longer necessary to carry out the investigation as Walid had presumably "travelled to Italy".

The facts are clear and it is all but verifiable that Tunisian security forces are responsible for Walid Hosni's disappearance and that he is currently held in their custody.