Tunisia politicians enter hunger strike in response to poor detention conditions

Tunisian politicians arrested in the “conspiracy against state security” case announced they had entered a hunger strike in response to the “poor conditions of detention.”

Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, a member of the National Salvation Front (NSFT), announced that he had entered into a severe hunger strike after the prison administration deliberately abused him inside prison… in the implementation of the coup authority’s instructions. “The same is happening now with the rest of the political detainees,” according to a statement he posted on his Facebook page.

The former Secretary-General of the Democratic Current Party Ghazi Chaouachi also announced that he had entered into a hunger strike: “In protest against the coup authority’s intention to change my detention cell every two weeks to abuse me, in addition to the ill-treatment I am subjected to in prison.”

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Lawyer Islam Hamza, a member of the detainees’ defence team, wrote: “Unfortunately, I officially inform you that the prison administration has started to implement instructions and abuse, knowing that the same thing that happened to Ghazi Chaouachi is happening now to Khayam Turki (a political activist and former minister), and Jaouhar Ben Mbarek. All of them entered into a severe hunger strike. Our country is experiencing a very dangerous turning point.”

The Tunisian authorities recently launched an arrests campaign targeting politicians, human rights activists, media personalities and businesspeople on charges of “conspiracy against state security.”

This charge includes establishing a group to topple the regime in coordination with foreign parties.

Is Tunisia’s president Kais Saied like Louis XIV, King of France? – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]