Tunisia extends detention of Sumud 4 activists to 10 months
In Tunisia, an investigating judge of the Judicial, Economic and Financial Division of the judicial system extended by four months the detention of four activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla movement. They have been in custody since March 2026, and the total period of pretrial detention will amount to 10 months, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Charges against the activists
Wael Nawar, Ghassen Ghenchiri, Ghassen Bougdiri and Nabil Chennoufi, known as the Sumud 4, took part in the flotilla to Gaza in 2025. They are accused of money laundering and misappropriating money received through donations.
The activists' lawyers called the charges unfounded and said that such cases in Tunisia are often used to suppress political opponents. The detainees' defenders also believe that the country's authorities publicly support the Palestinian cause while persecuting activists who advocate for it.
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Hunger strike and movement statements
According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, Wael Nawar has been on hunger strike since August 16. The movement said that the activist is in critical condition and faces an acute risk of cardiac arrest. The organization also claims that the Tunisian authorities are under pressure from the United States and Zionist forces.
The Global Sumud Flotilla drew attention to a recent Human Rights Watch report, which says that Tunisian authorities have intensified pressure on local and international civil society organizations. According to HRW, since 2025, at least 47 people linked to non-governmental organizations in Tunisia have faced prosecution, and around 14 have been sentenced to imprisonment.
The Jerusalem Post notes that the Sumud 4 case has received significantly less international coverage than the detention of flotilla participants by Israeli authorities in 2025 and 2026. At the same time, the publication emphasizes that the circumstances of the detentions in Tunisia and Israel are not identical.
