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Health of Four Prisoners of Conscience in Tunisia Deteriorates Amid Authorities’ Indifference

The health of four prisoners of conscience in Tunisia, Sihem Ben Sedrine, Mondher Ounissi, Mohamed Boughalleb, and Chadha Haj Mbarek, is seriously deteriorating as a result of prolonged detention and harsh prison conditions, raising growing human rights concerns.

Sihem Ben Sedrine, a human rights activist and former head of the Truth and Dignity Commission, has been on a 13-day hunger strike to protest her arbitrary detention and denial of a fair trial. The strike has caused her health to deteriorate significantly, requiring her to be hospitalized on Sunday, January 26, 2025, for emergency medical treatment.

Mondher Ounissi, a leader in the Ennahda movement, has also been suffering from serious kidney problems, which have been exacerbated by the lack of medical care in prison. He was transferred to hospital on Friday, January 25, 2025, his second transfer without informing his family, raising serious concerns that he is being subjected to life-threatening medical negligence.

Mohamed Boughalleb, a journalist who has been detained since March 2024, suffers from multiple health problems, including severe prostate pain that prevents him from sitting normally, and a sharp deterioration in his vision due to complications from diabetes. According to his brother, Mounir Boughalleb, Mohamed recently underwent medical examinations, where doctors recommended laser sessions to treat his left eye. However, his health condition continues to deteriorate.

Chadha Haj Mbarek, a journalist who has been detained since July 22, 2023, in connection with the so-called “Instalingo” case, is suffering from poor detention conditions inside the Messaadine prison, which has directly affected her health. The Tunisian Journalists Syndicate expressed its deep concern about her continued detention, noting that her case has a clear political character and includes serious violations of her rights.

Comment by the Freedom for Tunisia Observatory

The Freedom for Tunisia Observatory condemns the Tunisian authorities’ disregard for the deteriorating health of the four prisoners of conscience and holds them fully responsible for their lives and safety. The Observatory stresses the need to:

Immediately release all arbitrarily detained individuals.
Ensure appropriate medical care for Sihem Ben Sedrine, Mondher Ounissi, Mohamed Boughalleb, and Chadha Haj Mbarek.
Respect international human rights standards and stop exploiting the judiciary to settle political scores.

The Observatory renews its call to the international community and human rights organizations to pay attention to these cases and exert pressure on the Tunisian authorities to put an end to violations and ensure the safety of detainees and call on the Tunisian authorities to respect international conventions.

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Call to Action

Website petition: Freedom for prisoners of conscience and activists in Tunisia!

Tunisia is no longer the Arab exception that inspired the world in 2011 with a heroic revolution that overthrew the rule of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who ruled for nearly 23 years after seizing power on November 7, 1987, in a coup against Habib Bourguiba.

In a similar and perhaps more dangerous move, on the night of July 25, 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied carried out a “constitutional coup” in accordance with his personal interpretation of Article 80 of the 2014 Revolutionary Constitution, announcing that he had taken a set of exceptional measures due to the “imminent danger” that threatens Tunisia without providing any details or reasons.

In accordance with these measures, Saied dismissed the government and the prime minister Hichem Mechichi who was present at the National Security Council that night at the Carthage Palace, and claimed that he had contacted the Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi (leader of the Ennahdha party) to consult with him in accordance with what is stipulated by the constitution, a claim which Ghannouchi denied since the call was general and did not include anything about exceptional measures or any consultation on the matter. The president suspended Parliament and later dissolved it in March 2022.

Not only did Saied seek to bypass his powers and the articles of the Constitution, which he swore to protect before the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, but he went on to dismiss and change the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council after redefining the judiciary it as a “function” rather than an independent authority. He further replaced members of the Supreme Electoral Commission in preparation for the referendum he held in order to vote on a constitution that he wrote himself after dismissing the proposals of the drafting committee he had himself appointed. Then legislative elections were held over two rounds, in which the participation rate did not exceed 8% of the total number of voters, with the Election Commission later announcing that it had reached 11%, which is the lowest participation rate in Tunisia and globally.

On February 11, President Saied’s regime launched a campaign of protests that has not stopped since, against political leaders, media figures, journalists, judges and senior officials and civil servants, for charges of “conspiring against the security of the state and committing an offensive act against the President of the Republic,” in addition to other charges that were referred to the military prosecution, leading one to wonder about the implication of the Tunisian army in the actions taken by Saied.

The arbitrary arrests were marred by several procedural violations amid criticism from prominent international organizations and observatories in the field of human rights. The standards of litigation and detention period and conditions were not respected. Prosecution and harassment sometimes extended to the detainees’ families, and no evidence, and in many cases, no charges against them were presented.

Moreover trade unions and political parties continue to be subjected to constant harassment and restrictions. Saied continues to target all “intermediary bodies” accusing them of “collaboration” or “treason”. Civil society associations have also been subjected to prosecution, arbitrary arrests and deprivation from representation, in a context of of increasing violence in society due to the authorities’ adoption of racist and discriminatory speeches and rhetoric inciting infighting and violating human dignity.

In light of the above, we, the undersigned, demand the following:

Call for the immediate release of all political detainees, immediately and unconditionally. We also urge the Tunisian authorities to recognize the national and the international human rights treaties they have ratified.
Call on the Tunisian authorities to stop dismantling the nascent democracy and put an end to unfair trials and prosecutions against political opponents of the regime and anyone who criticises it.
Call on all activists and observers to join the national movement for restoring democracy and ending authoritarian rule that has taken Tunisia back to despotism, injustice, and violations of rights and freedoms.