At least 23 prisoners have died in Tunisia in recent weeks amid extreme heat, according to the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH).
The group’s president, Bassem Trifi, said the deaths were documented through information obtained from doctors, lawyers and relatives of the deceased prisoners.
Trifi said prison conditions had become increasingly dangerous due to overcrowding, poor ventilation and limited access to water, with temperatures in some prisons reportedly exceeding 45°C.
However, Tunisian authorities have not released official figures on prison deaths linked to the heatwave. An official said no death could be attributed to extreme heat until such a cause had been confirmed by forensic doctors.
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has also expressed concern over the deterioration of detention conditions and the reported increase in deaths in Tunisian prisons.
Rights groups have called for transparent and independent investigations into the deaths and urged authorities to take urgent measures to protect prisoners, particularly as the country continues to experience extreme temperatures and disruptions to electricity and water supplies.
