Tunis/Tunisia — Democratic activist and human rights defender Khemais Chammari, one of the most prominent leftists, has died at the age of 81.

Following this tragic event, Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani and the entire government team expressed their deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the family of the deceased in this great ordeal. They prayed to Almighty God to bestow His mercy on him and receive him in His eternal paradise," said a statement issued by the Prime Ministry.

The deceased held several political positions. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the Social Democratic Movement from 1994 to 1996, and also served as Tunisia's ambassador to UNESCO from 2011 to 2013.

He was known for his defence of human rights and democracy, where he served as Secretary General of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights and then Vice-President from 1981 to 1994, and is a founding member of the Arab Institute for Human Rights.

Because of his militant positions, he was imprisoned several times under former presidents Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

After completing his duties at UNESCO, he returned to Tunisia to be elected a member of the Truth and Dignity Commission in 2014, from which he resigned before taking up his duties there.

On December 10, 2018, on the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Khemais Chammari was awarded the National Order of Merit of the Republic of Tunisia "in recognition of his militant career and for his contribution to the defence of human rights and the consolidation of democratic principles".

He was also awarded the 'Prix International de la Commission Consultative Française des Droits de l'Homme' in 1990 and the International Nuremberg Human Rights Awardin 1997.