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Tunisia’s opposition figure continues his hunger strike in prison
(MENAFN) Tunisia’s opposition leader Jaouhar Ben Mbarek marked his 17th day of an open-ended hunger strike in prison on Friday.
Ben Mbarek, cofounder of the country’s main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, began the strike on October 29 while detained at Belli Prison in Nabeul Governorate, calling for his release.
"I will continue the hunger strike and struggle with my body until our demands are met,” Ben Mbarek said Friday evening on Facebook. He also thanked supporters within Tunisia and abroad and commended “the detainees who went on a hunger strike in solidarity with me, namely the secretary-general of the Republican Party, Issam Chebbi, the head of the Ennahda Party, Rached Ghannouchi, politician Abdelhamid Jelassi, and the leader of the National Salvation Front, Reda Belhaj.”
His legal team reported on Wednesday that Ben Mbarek was "severely assaulted inside his cell after refusing to eat and to end his hunger strike." The day prior, Tunisia's General Authority for Prisons and Rehabilitation dismissed claims about worsening prisoner health due to hunger strikes, labeling them “fake news and systematic fallacies by some parties.”
Since early 2023, numerous politicians, journalists, activists, judges, and businesspeople have been detained on allegations including "attempting to undermine public order and state security," "spying for foreign parties," and "inciting chaos or disobedience." The opposition characterizes this as part of a “campaign of intimidation” led by President Kais Saied.
Ben Mbarek, sentenced to 18 years in April for “conspiracy against state security,” is among several opposition leaders—including former ministers and senior Ennahda figures—prosecuted under the same case. President Saied has defended the arrests, asserting they target individuals involved in “plots against the state” and attempts to worsen the country’s economic crisis.
Ben Mbarek, cofounder of the country’s main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, began the strike on October 29 while detained at Belli Prison in Nabeul Governorate, calling for his release.
"I will continue the hunger strike and struggle with my body until our demands are met,” Ben Mbarek said Friday evening on Facebook. He also thanked supporters within Tunisia and abroad and commended “the detainees who went on a hunger strike in solidarity with me, namely the secretary-general of the Republican Party, Issam Chebbi, the head of the Ennahda Party, Rached Ghannouchi, politician Abdelhamid Jelassi, and the leader of the National Salvation Front, Reda Belhaj.”
His legal team reported on Wednesday that Ben Mbarek was "severely assaulted inside his cell after refusing to eat and to end his hunger strike." The day prior, Tunisia's General Authority for Prisons and Rehabilitation dismissed claims about worsening prisoner health due to hunger strikes, labeling them “fake news and systematic fallacies by some parties.”
Since early 2023, numerous politicians, journalists, activists, judges, and businesspeople have been detained on allegations including "attempting to undermine public order and state security," "spying for foreign parties," and "inciting chaos or disobedience." The opposition characterizes this as part of a “campaign of intimidation” led by President Kais Saied.
Ben Mbarek, sentenced to 18 years in April for “conspiracy against state security,” is among several opposition leaders—including former ministers and senior Ennahda figures—prosecuted under the same case. President Saied has defended the arrests, asserting they target individuals involved in “plots against the state” and attempts to worsen the country’s economic crisis.
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