TUNIS, Tunisia, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Tunisia risks opening the door to religious violence unless it addresses a series of attacks by extremists, said Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch said it was able to document a series of attacks by radical religious groups against political activists this year. In a letter to justice and interior leaders, the organization said there was a noted failure of authorities to investigate these attacks.
Joe Stork, deputy director of Middle East and North African programs at the rights group, said Tunisian authorities had so far failed to respond to inquiries.
"The failure of Tunisian authorities to investigate these attacks entrenches the religious extremists' impunity and may embolden them to commit more violence," he said in a statement.
In a separate report published early this week, the rights group expressed concern that a draft law prohibiting former government officials from seeking office was too restrictive.
A draft law submitted by Tunisian legislators would prohibit members of the government who held office between 1987 and January, 2011 from taking part in political life for five years.
Stork said intentions may be good, but do little to advance inclusive democracy.
Islamic party Ennahda rose to power in Tunisia following the country's revolution in early 2011. Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jabali told the European Foreign Affairs Committee last week that his government was obligated to uphold basic democratic principles.
