Tunisia: Detainees in the “Conspiracy Case” Declare Hunger Strike, Describing the Trial as a “Theatrical Performance”
A number of Tunisian politicians detained in connection with what is known as the “Conspiracy to Endanger State Security” have announced a hunger strike in protest against what they describe as “illegal detention” and a trial that lacks the most basic standards of justice, according to a statement issued by them on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
The signatories of the statement stated that the authorities’ continued attempts to obscure the case, prevent media coverage, and leak “forged” documents and false testimonies solidify a political trial aimed at eliminating opponents. They asserted that the trial has “lost its legitimacy” amid what they referred to as the “absence of a fair trial and the use of the judiciary for settling scores.”
The detainees confirmed their refusal to participate in the trial sessions, which they deemed a “sham trial,” and called on civil society and human rights organizations to stand with them in their fight for dignity. They also urged all lawyers to continue legal mobilization to confront what they consider “systematic injustice.”
Among the prominent names signing the statement are Issam Chebbi, Abdelhamid Jalassi, Khaïam Turki, Redha Belhaj, Ghazi Chaouachi, and Jawhar Ben Mbarek, who has been on an open-ended hunger strike since March 30.
This development comes amid a political tension that the country is experiencing, alongside increasing internal and external criticism of the authorities’ treatment of dissenters.
