Tunisian opposition leader continues hunger strike during 18-year sentence

Tunisian opposition leader Jaouhar Ben Mbarek has maintained an open-ended hunger strike for seventeen days while serving an 18-year prison sentence for alleged conspiracy against state security. The National Salvation Front cofounder initiated his protest action October 29 at Belli Prison in Nabeul Governorate, demanding release from incarceration and drawing international attention to Tunisia's ongoing political repression.

Prison Conditions and Solidarity

Ben Mbarek's legal representatives reported Wednesday that the opposition figure suffered severe assault within his prison cell after refusing to terminate his hunger strike. The incident contradicts official statements from Tunisia's General Authority for Prisons and Rehabilitation, which dismissed reports about deteriorating prisoner health conditions as "fake news and systematic fallacies." Multiple high-profile detainees have initiated solidarity hunger strikes including Republican Party Secretary-General Issam Chebbi, Ennahda Party leader Rached Ghannouchi, and National Salvation Front figure Reda Belhaj.

Political Context and Charges

Since early 2023, Tunisian authorities have detained dozens of politicians, journalists, activists, and business figures under charges including attempting to undermine public order, espionage for foreign parties, and inciting civil disobedience. The opposition characterizes these arrests as systematic intimidation tactics orchestrated by President Kais Saied's administration, while the government maintains the measures target individuals involved in plots against state security and economic destabilization efforts.

Legal Proceedings and Government Response

Ben Mbarek received his 18-year sentence in April following convictions for conspiracy against state security, joining several opposition figures and former government officials prosecuted under similar allegations. President Saied has publicly defended the detention campaign, asserting that targeted individuals participated in schemes against national interests and attempted to exacerbate Tunisia's economic challenges through destabilization activities.