Tunisian protesters demand release of four Sumud activists

Tunis, Tunisia – Dozens of radical protested successful Tunis connected Saturday demanding the merchandise of 4 Global Sumud Flotilla activists, arsenic interest mounts implicit their deteriorating wellness aft 1 of them entered his 2nd period of a hunger strike.

The protesters marched from the office of the Tunisian National Journalists’ Union (SNJT) to Avenue Habib Bourguiba successful cardinal Tunis, carrying Tunisian and Palestinian flags and portraits of the 4 detainees and calling for their merchandise and an extremity to the lawsuit against them.

They besides chanted anti-government slogans, including: “No fear, nary terror, the thoroughfare belongs to the people”, “Down with the president’s repression, down with the oppression of the people”, and “Your communicative is simply a Zionist one, you agents of imperialism.”

The objection came days aft a tribunal extended the pre-trial detention of Wael Naouar, Ghassen Henchiri, Ghassen Boughdiri and Nabil Channoufi by different 4 months. They person been held since March successful an probe into alleged fiscal irregularities linked to fundraising for the flotilla, according to Tunisian authorities media, citing judicial sources.

Detention extended

The 4 activists and their defence squad contradict wrongdoing, portion supporters accidental the lawsuit is portion of a wider crackdown connected civilian nine and governmental dissent.

Tunisian protesters march successful solidarity with 4 detained Global Sumud Flotilla activists during a objection successful Tunis connected September 19, 2026 [Ghaya Ben Mbarek/Al Jazeera]

Naouar, a subordinate of the flotilla’s steering committee, began an open-ended hunger onslaught connected August 16 to protestation his detention. The different 3 joined him connected September 9, according to statements from supporters and the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Health fears grow

Ghassen Bouaazi, a subordinate of the National Committee for the Defence of Sumud Flotilla Activists, said Naouar’s wellness had deteriorated significantly.

“Wael Naouar has been connected hunger onslaught for astir 35 days and his wellness has deteriorated considerably,” Bouaazi told Al Jazeera connected the sidelines of Saturday’s protest.

He said Naouar had experienced repeated fainting, trouble breathing and hallucinations and had mislaid much than 20kg (44lb).

“There is present a existent information threatening him,” Bouaazi said, adding that the committee holds President Kais Saied and his authorities politically, legally and morally liable for immoderate harm that mightiness travel to the detainees.

“We request that the authorities adjacent this lawsuit erstwhile and for all,” Bouaazi said, describing the accusations against the 4 activists arsenic “dubious claims”.

He described the arrests arsenic portion of what helium called a broader run targeting governmental activists, journalists, rights defenders and commercialized unionists, saying akin fiscal transgression and wealth laundering allegations had been utilized successful different cases.

He said the lawsuit was unfolding wrong “a judicial strategy that is not autarkic and is taxable to the enforcement branch’s monopoly”.

Bouaazi said the committee believes the prosecution of the flotilla activists is aimed astatine criminalising autarkic fashionable solidarity with Palestinians and is portion of what helium described arsenic an progressively security-focused attack to protests and nationalist beingness successful Tunisia.

The 4 activists are members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an planetary run that sought to situation Israel’s blockade of Gaza and present humanitarian aid.

Calls for wider mobilisation

The latest objection follows a connection issued connected Tuesday by erstwhile members of Tunisia’s General Students Union (UGET) and activists from antithetic generations of the pupil movement, who called for the contiguous merchandise of the 4 detainees, including Naouar, a erstwhile secretary-general of UGET.

The radical said Saied and his authorities were liable for the information of the hunger strikers and urged student, commercialized union, rights and civilian nine groups to mobilise astir the detainees’ case.

Tunisian protesters stitchery successful Tunis calling for the merchandise of 4 Global Sumud Flotilla activists, amid increasing interest implicit the wellness of a detainee connected hunger strike, connected September 19, 2026 [Ghaya Ben Mbarek/Al Jazeera]

According to Nidhal Khadraoui, different erstwhile secretary-general of UGET, Naouar and the different activists stay determined to proceed their hunger onslaught until their release.

Khadraoui besides said Henchiri is successful urgent request of country pursuing complications from a erstwhile wounded helium sustained during his detention successful Israel, but that the process has not been carried retired contempt a situation doctor’s recommendation.

Supporters of the Global Sumud Flotilla person besides rallied, calling for the contiguous merchandise of the “Sumud four” and saying their continued detention has go a absorption of planetary concern.

A broader crackdown

The lawsuit comes amid broader concerns from rights groups astir the shrinking abstraction for civilian nine successful Tunisia.

Human Rights Watch said Tunisian authorities person progressively utilized financial, anti-money laundering and counterterrorism authorities against civilian nine actors and activists. The radical has besides criticised Saied for concentrating powerfulness successful the presidency since 2021, weakening parliament and undermining judicial independence, and has raised concerns astir the usage of prolonged pre-trial detention.

The objection came aft a Tunisian tribunal extended the pre-trial detention of 4 Global Sumud Flotilla activists by different 4 months, successful Tunis connected September 19, 2026 [Ghaya Ben Mbarek/Al Jazeera]

Saied’s authorities has rejected accusations that the judiciary is being utilized to soundlessness opponents, saying the judiciary is autarkic and ineligible proceedings are conducted according to the law.

“The Tunisian state, acting connected behalf of the Zionist entity, is punishing our comrades for their conflict for Gaza and Palestine,” Khadraoui told Al Jazeera.

“All upcoming actions volition beryllium escalatory, and we clasp Kais Saied’s authorities afloat liable for putting our comrades successful prison,” helium said.