Council of Europe praises Tunisian efforts to draft constitution

The Council of Europe, which oversees democracy and human rights in 47 countries, said on Thursday that it praised the efforts of the Tunisian authorities to draft a new constitution, but it urged Tunis to be watchful of potential "tensions" between sectarian and secular influences. The Venice Commission, which includes the Council of Europe and 12 non-member States including Tunisia, examined the work underway for the new constitution and the legal, constitutional experts of the Council "praised efforts made by the Tunisian people to draft a new constitution based on universal principles of democracy and human rights," a Council statement said. "The eleven Commission rapporteurs welcome that the draft guarantees such fundamental rights as the right to privacy and the right to a fair trial. They welcome the creation for the first time in Tunisia's history of an independent constitutional court," the statement said. Some concern was expressed though about the need to "refine the checks and balances in relations between the president and the prime minister," the Council said, adding that clearer language was also needed on how fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and association are to be guaranteed and not over-restricted. Tunisia was also encouraged to avoid sectarian/secular tensions and guarantee plurality, neutrality and non-discrimination, and change some provisions on how to guarantee freedom of religion. The findings of the Venice Commission are likely to be taken on board and examined for adaptability by the Tunisian authorities.