Dozens of protesters gathered in central Tunis on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, to call for the release of four detained activists associated with the Global Sumud Flotilla. The demonstration occurred after a court extended the activists’ pre-trial detention and as supporters raised concerns over the health of the detainees, one of whom has been on a hunger strike for over a month.
The march began at the headquarters of the Tunisian National Journalists’ Union and proceeded to Avenue Habib Bourguiba. Participants carried Tunisian and Palestinian flags and portraits of the four individuals: Wael Naouar, Ghassen Henchiri, Ghassen Boughdiri, and Nabil Channoufi. Protesters chanted slogans including, “No fear, no terror, the street belongs to the people,” according to Al Jazeera, which was present at the event.
The four activists have been held since March as part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities related to fundraising, Tunisian state media reported, citing judicial sources. Last week, a court extended their detention by an additional four months. The activists and their defense team have denied the allegations.
One of the detainees, Wael Naouar, began a hunger strike on Aug. 16 to protest his detention. The other three joined the hunger strike on Sept. 9, according to statements from their supporters.
Ghassen Bouaazi, a member of the National Committee for the Defence of Sumud Flotilla Activists, commented on Naouar’s condition during the protest. Bouaazi told Al Jazeera that Naouar had lost more than 20 kilograms and experienced fainting and difficulty breathing. He stated that the committee holds President Kais Saied and his government “politically, legally and morally responsible for any harm that might come to the detainees.”
Supporters of the activists have framed the case as part of a larger pattern. Bouaazi asserted that the prosecution aims to criminalize solidarity with Palestinians and is happening within what he described as “a judicial system that is not independent.”
Nidhal Khadraoui, a former secretary-general of the General Students Union of Tunisia (UGET), stated that the detained activists are determined to continue their hunger strike until they are released. He also said that Ghassen Henchiri requires surgery for a complication from a previous injury, a procedure recommended by a prison doctor that has not yet been performed.
The case has drawn attention from international rights organizations. Human Rights Watch has previously reported that Tunisian authorities have used financial and counterterrorism laws against civil society actors. The organization has also commented on changes in Tunisia since 2021, including what it describes as a weakening of parliament and judicial independence.
The Tunisian government has previously rejected assertions that the judiciary is being used to target political opponents. Government officials maintain that the judiciary is independent and that all legal proceedings are conducted in accordance with the law.
