Jailed Tunisian Critic Hospitalised After Hunger Strike
Jailed Tunisian opposition leader Jawhar Ben M’barek has been rushed to hospital following weeks of a hunger strike, his family confirmed Monday. The incident has intensified scrutiny over Tunisia’s treatment of political prisoners under President Kais Saied’s authoritarian rule.
Who Is Jawhar Ben M’barek?
Ben M’barek, a prominent lawyer and ex-lawmaker, was arrested in September 2023 on contested “conspiracy” charges. A fierce critic of Saied’s 2021 power grab, he has become a symbol of Tunisia’s shrinking democratic freedoms since the Arab Spring.
Health Crisis Sparks Outcry
Family members report Ben M’barek began refusing food in early June to protest his detention without trial. His rapid physical decline forced authorities to transfer him to a Tunis hospital under tight security.
“He’s dangerously weak but refuses to back down,” a relative told NextMinuteNews, requesting anonymity. Prison officials have not publicly commented, though judicial sources confirmed the hospitalization.
Global Reaction Mounts
The crisis has drawn international condemnation:
– Amnesty International demands his “immediate release”
– EU expresses “grave concern” over due process violations
– Tunisian government alleges “foreign-backed conspiracy”
Tunisia’s Democratic Backslide
Ben M’barek’s case reflects a broader crackdown:
– Dozens of opposition figures jailed since 2021
– Independent media outlets shuttered
– Press freedom rankings plummet
What Comes Next?
With Ben M’barek’s life at risk:
– Rights groups push for prisoner medical evaluations
– Opposition coalitions plan protest actions
– Western nations consider policy responses
A Nation at Crossroads
This hospitalization spotlights Tunisia’s democratic crisis. Once an Arab Spring beacon, the country now faces escalating repression and international isolation under Saied’s rule.
NextMinuteNews will continue monitoring this developing situation.
