Sakher El Materi and family granted additional 12-month residence permit |27 March 2014

Sakher El Materi, currently residing in Seychelles, has been granted an extension of an additional 12 months on his residence permit along with his wife, their three children and entourage.

The information was released yesterday in a joint statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Transport.

The statement adds that the Republic of Seychelles has decided in favour of granting the residence permit extension after Mr El Materi’s lawyers submitted the request informing the government that the Tunisian national is still at risk of persecution and would not be granted due process of the law by the Tunisian authorities if he were forcibly returned to the Tunisian Republic.

Mr El Materi’s lawyers further declared that their client’s life will continue to be at risk despite the political improvements in Tunisia and noted that there have been several instances of politically exposed persons being targeted by assassinations.

The Republic of Seychelles therefore maintains that impartiality is best served with the residence permit. In addition, the Republic of Seychelles does not impose nor recognise capital punishment under her constitution and remains dissuaded that the Tunisian Republic would not seek the death penalty.