Heatwave Linked to At Least 23 Prison Deaths in Tunisia, NGOs Warn
Human-rights groups say a heatwave has caused at least 23 inmate deaths in Tunisian prisons, highlighting overcrowding and poor conditions.
Rights advocates, led by the Tunisian League for Human Rights, have documented 23 deaths in Tunisian prisons during the recent heatwave, drawing on reports from medical professionals, legal counsel and relatives. Overcrowding, poor ventilation and scarce water supplies have turned extreme temperatures—often above 45 °C—into a life-threatening hazard for detainees. Among the deceased are a businessman named Lazhar Sta, a 24-year-old student and a Lebanese businessman whose family alerted authorities.
The World Organisation Against Torture expressed concern over deteriorating detention conditions and urged independent inquiries, citing the government's failure to release official death figures. While prison officials assert that inmates receive medical care according to regulations, NGOs maintain that conditions remain inhumane and that the league has been barred from prison visits since November 2025.
