At least 23 prisoners have died in Tunisia’s prisons amid a heatwave, according to NGOs citing overcrowding, inadequate ventilation, and limited water access, with rights groups condemning the conditions as inhumane and urging urgent reforms.
The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) reported 23 prison deaths in recent weeks, attributing many to extreme heat, while authorities have not released official figures, citing the need for forensic confirmation. Conditions are already inhumane under normal circumstances, but with the heatwave and temperatures that sometimes exceed 45C in overcrowded cells, the situation becomes a threat to prisoners’ lives, said LTDH president Bassem Trifi according to AFP.
Tunisia has suffered high temperatures in recent weeks, with residents struggling with long power outages and water cuts. Among the dead detainees was businessman Lazhar Sta, his daughter said. Another was a 24-year-old student, according to local media. A Lebanese businessman also died in a Tunisian prison, said Trifi. A Lebanese judicial source told AFP that his father had informed Lebanese authorities of his death a week earlier.
Tunisian prisons have long faced criticism for overcrowding, with cells reportedly lacking proper ventilation and water access. The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) called the situation a threat to prisoners’ lives, emphasizing the need for independent investigations. The deterioration of detention conditions and the increase in deaths in prisons have raised alarms, the OMCT stated according to AFP. The group also called for “transparent” and “independent” investigations amid what it said was a lack of official data around the deaths.
NGOs Sound Alarm over Tunisia Prison Deaths Due to
Relatives of detainees, including prominent activists and journalists, have highlighted the dire state of prisons. Haifa Chebbi, a lawyer and daughter of imprisoned activist Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, said, I will not wait for my father and uncle to die in prison.
Her uncle, Issam Chebbi, is among those held on charges denounced as politically motivated according to the source. Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, 82, whose daughter also expressed concern over the conditions in which he and others were detained, is imprisoned alongside 85-year-old Ennahdha party leader Rached Ghannouchi, whose lawyers in July said his health was “critical” after reports that he fainted and suffered severe exhaustion behind bars.
Prison authorities stated in July that all necessary measures were being taken to protect detainees, including medical care. However, the LTDH reported being barred from prison visits since November 2025, limiting transparency.
Critics also pointed to the imprisonment of journalists and political figures. Yousfi’s daughter, Aram El Heni, expressed fear that every time I visit my father, I am afraid they will tell me he died.
She added, Every time I leave the prison, I tell myself it may be the last time I see him,
according to AFP.
The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) documented these cases through doctors, lawyers, and family accounts, despite authorities’ reluctance to publish data. The OMCT reiterated its demand for transparency, stating, There is a lack of official data around the deaths
according to the source. Human rights groups have called for immediate reforms, including better prison conditions, access to medical care, and independent oversight. The situation becomes a threat to prisoners’ lives under current conditions, Trifi warned according to AFP.
NGOs sound alarm over Italian Security Decree; urge action
Prison authorities in July said all detainees were receiving medical care according to regulations
and that all necessary measures
were taken in response to the heat. However, the LTDH had said it was banned from visiting prisons since November 2025. The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) said members of Yousfi’s defense had to leave an interrogation to get him medication as he was screaming loudly from pain.
The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) said this week it was concerned about the deterioration of detention conditions and the increase in deaths in prisons.
The group also called for “transparent” and “independent” investigations amid what it said was a lack of official data around the deaths. Relatives of detainees had already raised concerns about detention conditions as temperatures rose over the summer. Warnings from relatives of prominent jailed critics of President Kais Saied were widely circulated on social media.
The situation has sparked public outcry, with Haifa Chebbi stating, I will not remain silent. Free the detainees,
she wrote on social media. The OMCT called on Tunisian authorities to take the necessary measures to protect the life
of detainees and to allow rights groups to conduct prison visits. The LTDH had said it was banned from visiting prisons since November 2025.
As the heatwave persists, the combination of extreme temperatures, overcrowding, and inadequate medical care continues to endanger prisoners. The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) documented 23 deaths based on information from doctors, lawyers, and relatives of prisoners who died in jail from the heat, its president Bassem Trifi told AFP. The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) echoed concerns, urging transparency and independent investigations into the rising death toll.
