Enhancing Detainees’ Rights in Tunisia | INL24CA0069 AMETUNIS DETAINEERIGHTS 0507

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL24CA0069 AMETUNIS DETAINEERIGHTS 0507

The grant opportunity titled "Enhancing Detainees' Rights in Tunisia" (Funding Opportunity Number INL24CA0069) is a discretionary U.S. government funding program run by the Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). It is designed to strengthen protections for people who are arrested and held in police custody in Tunisia, with a particular focus on expanding access to legal aid and improving how detainee rights are applied and enforced during the pre-trial phase. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the funding agency expects to have substantial involvement in the project as it is implemented, rather than simply providing funds with minimal engagement.

The core policy context for the program is Tunisia's 2016 reform of its Criminal Procedure Code, especially Act 2016-5 (often referred to as "Law 5"), which introduced important procedural safeguards. Under Law 5, arrestees in police custody gained the right to legal counsel and the standard maximum period of pre-charge detention was reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours. The law also allows extensions, but only by order of the public prosecutor and when justified: an additional 48 hours for felony cases and 24 hours for misdemeanor cases. Even with these reforms on the books, the opportunity description notes that implementation has been inconsistent since Law 5 went into effect, suggesting gaps between formal legal rights and what happens in practice.

At the same time, the opportunity highlights a key legal tension created by Tunisia's 2015 anti-terrorism law, which permits authorities to hold suspects during the first 48 hours without access to a lawyer and increases the length of pre-charge custody to five days, with the possibility of two additional extensions, reaching up to 15 days total. By pointing to these parallel legal frameworks, the notice signals that the project is meant to address real-world situations where detainee protections may be limited, delayed, or unevenly applied, especially in sensitive case types, and to promote more consistent safeguards for civilians during early detention and pre-trial proceedings.

In practical terms, the grant's purpose is to support initiatives that make the rights granted under Law 5 more reliable in day-to-day criminal justice practice. That includes expanding access to legal aid so that detainees can actually meet with counsel during custody and early stages of a case, and improving enforcement of detainee rights by relevant actors in the system. The notice also references "criminal procedures proposing alternatives to detention," specifically mentioning bail provisions, which indicates interest in approaches that reduce unnecessary pre-trial detention and encourage the use of lawful alternatives where appropriate. Overall, the project is framed around strengthening procedural fairness at the earliest stages of criminal cases, when detainees are most vulnerable and when legal representation and time limits on custody are most consequential.

Eligibility is broad and includes both U.S.-based and foreign-based entities. Eligible applicants include U.S. and non-U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations, as well as educational institutions. The eligibility list also includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they are not institutions of higher education). This mix suggests INL is open to proposals from organizations with legal aid, rule-of-law, criminal justice reform, human rights, or academic expertise, including partnerships that combine technical assistance, training capacity, and field presence.

Funding details indicate a single award is expected, with an award ceiling of $2,000,000. The opportunity was created on May 7, 2024, and the original closing date for applications was July 3, 2024. The funding activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services, and the CFDA/assistance listing number provided is 19.703, which corresponds to INL assistance programs. Taken together, the notice describes a relatively substantial, single-recipient project meant to produce system-level improvements in how Tunisia's detainee protections and pre-trial rights are delivered in practice, bridging the gap between legal reforms and consistent implementation on the ground.

• The Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhancing Detainees’ Rights in Tunisia" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.703.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-03. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for INL24CA0069 AMETUNIS DETAINEERIGHTS 0507

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