Rights advocates report 23 prisoner deaths during heatwave in Tunisia
In Tunisia, at least 23 prisoners have died in recent weeks due to extreme heat, rights advocates say. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) links the deaths to high temperatures and detention conditions in overcrowded prisons.
LTDH president Bassam Trifi told AFP that the organization documented 23 deaths based on information from doctors, lawyers and relatives of those who died in prison. According to him, temperatures in overcrowded cells sometimes exceeded 45 degrees Celsius during the heatwave.
The position of authorities and rights advocates
Tunisian authorities have not yet released statistics on prison deaths for the summer. One official said that a death can be linked to heat only after a conclusion by forensic experts.
Human rights organizations have long criticized conditions in Tunisian prisons because of chronic overcrowding, insufficient ventilation and limited access to water. The prison administration has rejected these accusations. In July, it stated that all prisoners receive medical care in accordance with the rules and that necessary measures had been taken in response to the heat.
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The World Organisation Against Torture expressed concern over deteriorating detention conditions and a rising number of prison deaths. It called for transparent and independent investigations and asked authorities to allow human rights groups to visit prisons. LTDH said that its representatives have been barred from such visits since November 2025.
Concerns over imprisoned critics of the president
Relatives of imprisoned critics of President Kais Saied have also voiced concerns about detention conditions during the summer heat. Among them is 85-year-old Ennahdha party leader Rached Ghannouchi. His lawyers called the politician's health condition critical in July following reports of fainting and severe exhaustion.
The daughter of 82-year-old activist Ahmed Nejib Chebbi expressed concern about his detention conditions and those of other prisoners. Her uncle, Issam Chebbi, is also in prison; human rights groups describe the charges against him as politically motivated.
Concern has separately increased over the health of investigative journalist Mohamed Yousfi, who was detained last week before a planned appearance on a radio program about water supply disruptions. He later underwent surgery for appendicitis. The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists said members of his defense had to leave an interrogation to bring him medication.
