From 4 to 7 September 2023, we as Team Tunisia Democracy Connectors visited and interviewed the two activists Hamza Nasri Jrid and Hayfa Safa in the Swedish capital Stockholm. Both individuals are living in exile there as they are being persecuted for their political activism in their respective home countries; Tunisia and Lebanon.
On the first day of our trip, we met Hamza Nasri Jrid, who has been living and working in exile in Sweden for two years and showed us around. After several imprisonments in Tunisia due to his commitment to strengthening democracy and protecting human rights, he had no choice but to leave his home country.
As he told us during the interview the following day, his politicisation had started early. First, he worked for a long time in a student union at the University of Tunis, until he finally founded the NGO Association for Rights and Freedom. This organisation supports people who have been imprisoned by the regime, provides legal assistance and educates them about their rights. From Stockholm, he continues to run ARF and, at the moment of our visit, is preparing a festival on the side to promote the visibility of LGBTIQ+ individuals.
The activist and queer actress Hayfa Safa, who was born and raised in Lebanon and belongs to the Druze minority, which is discriminated there, also gave us an insight into her political commitment, her work in various Swedish theatres, including Gothenburg and the Arab Theatre in Stockholm, and the reality of her life in Stockholm. Although it is no longer possible for Hayfa to return safely to Lebanon, Sweden has rejected her application for asylum. It is still unclear what will happen to her now and when she will be deported.
Meeting and talking to both of them moved and impressed us deeply. For both Hamza and Haifa are continuing their journey despite adverse circumstances, are still committed to human rights and democracy in their home countries and are in some cases in precarious situations of exile. With several hours of video and audio material, Khaled, Elena and I finally boarded the plane to Germany. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Hamza and Hayfa for their willingness to share their story with us!
