Tunisia prison heat deaths reach 23, rights group says

Tunisia prison deaths linked to extreme heat have reached at least 23 in recent weeks, according to the Tunisian League for Human Rights, as rights advocates warn that overcrowded and poorly ventilated cells are putting detainees at risk.

Bassem Trifi, president of the league, said the group documented the deaths using information from doctors, lawyers and relatives of prisoners. Tunisian authorities have not released official figures for prison deaths this summer. An official said no death could be attributed to heat without confirmation from forensic doctors.

Tunisia has faced high temperatures in recent weeks, along with long power outages and water cuts. Trifi said conditions in overcrowded cells could become life-threatening when temperatures exceed 45C.

Rights groups have long criticised detention conditions in Tunisia, citing overcrowding, poor ventilation and limited access to water. The prison administration has denied those accusations.

The World Organisation Against Torture said this week it was concerned about worsening detention conditions and rising prison deaths. It called for transparent and independent investigations, citing a lack of official data.

Prison authorities said in July that detainees were receiving medical care according to regulations and that necessary measures had been taken in response to the heat.

Relatives of jailed critics of President Kais Saied have also raised concerns about detainees' health during the heat. Dozens of political figures, journalists and businesspeople have been detained since Saied's 2021 power grab.