22 May 2019; DW: German-Tunisian UN diplomat Moncef Kartas, who was jailed nearly two months ago on suspicion of espionage, has been temporarily released on bail. But the case against him continues.
An appeals court in Tunisia ruled on Tuesday that UN diplomat Moncef Kartas be released from prison. But his lawyers said the case against Kartas "has not been closed and investigations will continue." It is unclear whether he will be able to leave Tunisia.
Kartas, a German-Tunisian dual national, was detained in late March following his arrival in Tunis on a United Nations mission.
The Tunisian government accused him of spying and illegally passing on secret information. But his family said he was being investigated for "allegedly possessing and disclosing intelligence information concerning national security to foreign governments."
Espionage is a charge that can carry the death penalty in Tunisia, although it has not been enforced for several years.
'Very relieved'
Kartas is a member of the UN Security Council's panel of experts on Libya, a group which examines compliance with UN-mandated sanctions.
The United Nations has insisted that charges against Kartas be dropped because experts on UN missions have diplomatic immunity.
Following the court ruling, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the UN is "very encouraged by this development." He said the UN is seeking further information from the government, including on the status of legal proceedings against Kartas.
The German Foreign Ministry said later on Tuesday that it was "very relieved" that Kartas had been released from jail. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said "the immunity of UN staff and experts is a great asset for the functioning of the multilateral order and must be respected by everyone."
