Women support hunger strike started by Tunisian human rights defender
Tunisian human rights defenders demand the release of all women, who have been pretrial detention without trial.
Tunisia- More than 80 people remained in detention on political grounds or for exercising their fundamental rights in Tunisia as of November, according to the World Report 2025 published by the Human Rights Watch (HRW). On January 14, 2025, Sihem Bensedrine, a 74-year-old Tunisian rights activist and former president of Tunisia’s Truth and Dignity Commission, began a hunger strike while detained in Manouba prison. Since then, she has been on hunger strike.
Tunisia's human rights situation has been deteriorating, said Tunisian human rights defenders, calling on the international community to take urgent action for the release of people held in pre-trial detention and on the Tunisian authorities to respect human rights.
‘They were arrested on false accusations’
Souad Bouatour, a Tunisian feminist and human rights defender, defined the human rights situation in Tunisia as “unprecedented injustice” and said, “How can Sihem Bensedrine endure a hunger strike while she is 74 years old? Women activists such as Sihem Bensedrine, lawyer Sonia Dahmani and human rights activist Sherifa Riahi were arrested on false accusations. Sherifa Riahi was arrested only a month after giving birth, and is now separated from her daughter.”
‘We are in solidarity with them’
Souad Bouatour expressed her solidarity with the women in pre-trial detention and said, “As feminists and human rights activists, we are in solidarity with them. We do our best to make their voices heard. We believe that freedom is a right for every human being, and we will stand by them until they are released.”
‘We will continue our struggle’
Naima Ben Mansour, member of the Tunisian League of Human Rights (LTDH), also supports the hunger strike started by Sihem Bensedrine. “All women held in pre-trial detention have the right to a fair trial and freedom. We must stand with them and put pressure on the government for their release. We will continue our struggle and be in solidarity with them by holding protests and raising their voices in the media and international forums until they are released.”