Tunisian journalist Salah ad-Din al-Jourchi discovered that his name is also mentioned in President Moncef Marzouki’s infamous Black Book. Yet Jourchi was listed not as an ally of former President Ben Ali, rather as one of the victims of the repressive regime.

The book was issued by the presidency to “expose the conspirators with the former regime.”

Jourchi criticized the book, saying it contributes to the weakening of the soon to be passed transitional justice law. 

Tunisian journalist Salah ad-Din al-Jourchi discovered that his name is also mentioned in President Moncef Marzouki’s infamous Black Book. Yet Jourchi was listed not as an ally of former President Ben Ali, rather as one of the victims of the repressive regime.

The book was issued by the presidency to “expose the conspirators with the former regime.”

Jourchi criticized the book, saying it contributes to the weakening of the soon to be passed transitional justice law. 

Your name was amongst those which were listed in the book.  It mentioned that you had a tense relationship with Ben Ali’s regime? Are you for or against the publishing of this book?

I have three objections on the issuance of this book. First, the general political context at the time of the issuance of the book was characterized by tension.  Second, the book was issued at a time characterized by the absence of a political vision, and the presence of many indicators, suggesting a deep structural crisis in the country. Third, the timing of the issuance of the book did not take into consideration the difficult circumstances of the country and this has made it another cause for deepening tensions and conflicts in the political arena.

In your opinion, was the timing chosen for the issuance of the book a mere coincidence?

I rule out the possibility that the President of the Republic was seeking to create more tensions in the Tunisian scene when he issued it.  However, the fact that it was issued at this critical time indicates that the presidency does not have a comprehensive vision of the situation in the country. This has manifested itself in the surprise felt by government with the reactions created against the methods and approaches adopted by the book in dealing with the political police archives. Moreover, the Constituent Assembly at this stage is preparing to ratify the transitional justice law, which is a suitable ground for evaluating the previous phase and for holding those responsible for it accountable as well as for reaching reconciliation.

Some argue that this book has put the executioner and the victim on an equal level. Is this true? 

The book has certainly given those who were involved with the former regime and who supported it in implementing its media strategy—which aimed at supressing the Tunisian people and making them yield to the oppressive regime—an opportunity. Today, they have become victims because of the inversed results of this book and the mistakes it contains. 

Did Marzouki, with his black book, implement part of the transitional justice or was his justice selective and retaliatory?

I have earlier said that this book has undermined the transitional justice draft law and it paved the way for weakening it because of the lack of coordination in this context with the Ministry of Human Rights and Transitional Justice in charge of this file.  This has also paved the way for committing many mistakes such as the methodological ones which have manifested themselves in the manner the presidential security documents were dealt with.

 Can we say that there is an unethical act committed in this book? 

The confusion lies in the way in which the Political Security Archive was dealt with.  What happened is that the police reports were taken as they are without being seriously assessed and evaluated. The publishers of the black book quoted the reports of the political polices without verifying them and without seriously and ethically examining them. These reports of the security apparatuses were quoted in the black book in a way that insinuates that they reflect the position of the presidency.

In your opinion, how will history deal with this book?

Most probably, nothing of this book will remain other than the emphasis on the poor way in dealing with the current situation and falling into the trouble of undermining transitional justice methodology, which distinguishes between fighting the mechanisms that dictatorships depend on and persons who may have been involved in supporting these regimes. Transitional justice gives these people the opportunity to express themselves, apologize to their victims, and make them feel that they are assuming their responsibilities. This enables people to overcome the past and makes reconciliation achievable without rancour and hatred.