Tunisian Journalist’s Health Deteriorates Amid Hunger Strike in Detention

May 16, 2025 – Tunisia – 

Concerns are mounting over the rapidly worsening health of a Tunisian journalist currently on hunger strike in prison. After more than 25 days without food, the journalist’s condition has reportedly reached a critical stage, with recent updates indicating hospitalization due to severe health complications.

The journalist, who has been in detention on charges widely seen as politically motivated, began the hunger strike in protest against what rights groups have called unjust imprisonment and the erosion of press freedoms in Tunisia. Alongside other political detainees, the journalist is demanding fair trials, an end to arbitrary detentions, and the restoration of constitutional rights.

According to human rights observers, the detained journalist is now suffering from alarming weight loss, extreme fatigue, and signs of organ stress. Despite the gravity of the situation, Tunisian authorities have been slow to respond, prompting calls from international watchdogs for immediate medical attention and urgent review of the case.

The hunger strike is part of a broader outcry over Tunisia’s recent crackdown on dissenting voices. Since 2021, the country has seen a sharp increase in arrests of journalists, opposition figures, and civil society activists under vague accusations such as undermining state security or spreading false information. Critics argue these moves are part of a broader effort to stifle criticism and consolidate executive power.

Advocacy organizations have urged the Tunisian government to respect international obligations related to human rights and press freedom. They emphasize that peaceful protest, including hunger strikes, is a fundamental right, and that detainees must be treated with dignity and provided with necessary healthcare.

Meanwhile, local and international media outlets continue to spotlight the case, warning that Tunisia’s democratic backslide may be deepening. As pressure grows, activists and journalists inside and outside the country are calling for solidarity and demanding accountability for the treatment of those imprisoned for exercising their right to free expression.

The journalist’s deteriorating health serves as a stark symbol of the broader threats facing media workers in Tunisia today.

Reference – 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2005/2/24/detained-tunisia-reporter-hospitalised

Tunisia: Health of Jailed Political Prisoners Deteriorates after 25 Days on Hunger Strike

Tunisian journalist’s health rapidly deteriorates in prison hunger strike