Prisoners of conscience between death and slow death.. Tunisia on the brink of suffocation..

Freedom for all political detainees in Tunisia

Paris, November 15, 2025

The undersigned human rights organizations are following with great concern and dismay the serious deterioration of public freedoms and human rights in Tunisia, amid the ongoing policy of repression and the use of the judiciary to eliminate opponents and dissenters, alongside the increasing violence against peaceful social movements, as is the case in the city of Gabes, which is suffering from a suffocating environmental and health crisis.

The case of activist Jawhar Ben Mbarek and the hunger strike:

We strongly condemn the violence inflicted on the activist and opponent of injustice, detained in what is known as the "conspiracy against state security" case, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, by prison guards and common prisoners in his prison, under the watchful eye of the prison administration, which resulted in severe physical harm and instances of fainting. He is currently on a hunger strike in its third week..

We hold the de facto authorities fully responsible for this assault and blatant violation that is not subject to statute of limitations, and we call on the relevant authorities monitoring torture cases to intervene urgently.

We also denounce and condemn the prison administration's continued evasion of its responsibilities regarding what is happening and its preference to deny Jawhar Ben Mbarek's hunger strike and the deterioration of his health condition, as well as the targeting of lawyers who informed the public about the reality of his poor health condition and accusing them of spreading false news.

We express our deep concern for his health and that of other hunger strikers, due to their arbitrary detention and the deliberate exposure to restrictions and harsh, degrading treatment.

In this context, we also remind of the deteriorating health condition of the activist and Speaker of the Tunisian Parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, who announced days ago that he has entered an open-ended hunger strike despite his old age and the illnesses he suffers from, in solidarity with the opponent Jawhar Ben Mbarek, and several opposing politicians have joined this protest step.

We warn the de facto authorities that their disregard for their legitimate demands and refusal to grant them a fair and transparent trial, medical treatment, and suitable prison conditions endangers their lives and reflects a blatant disregard for basic human rights and the international covenants that Tunisia has signed..

Fabricated trials and absence of justice conditions:

1. Tunisia is witnessing a series of fabricated political trials that lack the most basic elements of justice and integrity, where judicial files are managed under the pressure of the executive authority and according to the logic of revenge against free voices. These trials have been accompanied by serious violations, the most prominent of which are: the confiscation of the right to defense through restrictions on lawyers and sometimes preventing them from fully accessing files or communicating smoothly with their clients.

2. The absence of detainees from their sessions and depriving them of their right to defend themselves.

3. The rejection of the demand for public trials despite its legal and rights legitimacy, contradicting the principle of transparency.

4. The rush to issue judgments without allowing the defense to present its arguments, as occurred in the case of Professor Ahmed Sawab, in a scene that shocked public opinion and independent judicial bodies.

Harsh prison conditions:

We remind that since the coup of July 25, 2021, the conditions in Tunisian prisons have noticeably deteriorated, especially regarding the rights of political prisoners and those detained in opinion cases.

The National Authority for the Prevention of Torture revealed in its annual report that the overcrowding rate in some prisons has exceeded 160%, especially in Mornaguia Prison and Borj Al-Amri Prison. The authority confirmed that this overcrowding hinders the minimum requirements for a decent life within prison institutions. Local and international human rights organizations have documented systematic violations, including:

1. The detention of several political detainees in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day without judicial justification.

2. Denial of medical care to prisoners, despite some suffering from serious chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, rheumatic diseases, and tumors, which has led to the deterioration of their health conditions.

3. Malnutrition and lack of potable water in several prisons.

4. Imposing arbitrary restrictions on family and lawyer visits, and even confiscating defense documents during some visits, which represents a blatant violation of the basic guarantees of a fair trial.

According to a report by the organization "Lawyers Without Borders," there have been recorded cases where prisoners were transferred between different institutions arbitrarily as a means of punishment or isolation, which the organization considered a retaliatory practice aimed at breaking the spirits of the detainees.

All these data reflect a catastrophic situation in Tunisian prison institutions, which contradicts the minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners stipulated in international agreements, foremost among them the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the "Nelson Mandela Rules."

The undersigned warn the de facto authorities that these practices represent a serious deviation from the path of justice and a violation of Articles 27 and 108 of the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. They confirm that the goal is to silence opposing voices, persecute opponents, and intimidate civil society and the free media.

Escalation of the environmental crisis in Gabes and violence against residents:

In furtherance of the authorities' policy of intimidation and terror and their escape forward, they have shown no concern for the catastrophic environmental and health situation that the state of Gabes has been experiencing for weeks, due to the emission of gases and toxic substances from the chemical complex, which has led to a deterioration in air quality and an increase in cases of fainting and difficulty breathing, especially among students and children within educational institutions. The peaceful protests of residents against this suffocating situation and their calls for their right to a clean environment and a decent life were met with violent security responses and unjustified repression, as demonstrators were dispersed by force and arrest campaigns were launched, with injuries and run-over incidents recorded among the protesters.

The seriousness of the scene increased with official attempts to distort these movements by accusing civil and human rights entities of inciting chaos and conspiring against the state, in a behavior aimed at criminalizing legitimate protest and covering up chronic environmental failures in the region.

Therefore, the undersigned organizations and associations call for:

The immediate and unconditional release of political detainee Jawhar Ben Mbarek and all prisoners of conscience.

An independent investigation into the circumstances of Ben Mbarek's detention, the assault against him, and his exposure to torture inside the prison while on a hunger strike for more than two weeks.

The cessation of sham trials and the guarantee of judicial independence, public sessions, and the right to defense.

Accountability for those responsible for security violence against peaceful protesters in Gabes and ensuring it does not recur.

A call for national and international bodies to take urgent action to save the lives of detainees and defend the right to freedom, dignity, and a healthy environment.

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The undersigned associations:

Free Voice Association for Rights and Freedoms - Paris

Torture Victims Association - Geneva

FIDH International - Brussels

Al-Shehab Center for Human Rights - London