Rare unrest flares in Tunisian capital as police clash with protesters

Protests in several cities ​coincide with a deepening economic, social and political crisis in Tunisia.

Demonstrators take part in a protest demanding the restoration of democracy and denouncing mounting restrictions on freedoms, intensifying pressure on President Kais Saied, in Tunis, Tunisia, October 17, 2026 [Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters]

Tunisian police have clashed with protesters in rare unrest in the capital city of Tunis, as well as ⁠⁠in the southern town of Jebiniana, over recent deaths linked to the police.

Police forces fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse protesters in ⁠⁠Ettadhamen, a suburb ⁠⁠of the capital, following the death of a man detained on suspicion of drug dealing.

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The man’s family said he died as a result of abuse by police officers after his arrest, ‌‌calling for the circumstances of his death to be clarified and those responsible to be held accountable.

Local media, however, reported that he died after swallowing drugs.

Protesters blocked roads, burned tyres and threw stones at police. Security forces responded by firing tear gas while seeking ⁠⁠to secure a National Guard station in ⁠⁠the area, the Reuters news agency reported.

In Jebiniana, in Sfax governorate, police clashed with protesters following the death of a man whose relatives said he had died while being chased by security forces.

Tunisian media reported that protesters set a vehicle ablaze and burned tyres, while police used tear gas against the protesters.

Students in the coastal city of Sfax protested another civilian death, this time blaming ambulance services for the death of a female student who suffered a cardiac problem.

Her colleagues said ambulance personnel took too long to arrive, citing a lack of medical facilities, and ‌‌called for a strike at Sfax University’s faculties on Friday.

The flare-ups on Thursday coincide with a deepening economic, social and political crisis in Tunisia, heightening ⁠⁠fears of a wider wave of violent protests as anger grows over deteriorating living conditions and poor public services.

Thousands of Tunisians joined the largest protest against President Kais Saied in years in the ‌‌capital ‌‌on Saturday, accusing him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy in a growing challenge to his rule.

A Tunisian military court on Wednesday sentenced opposition ⁠⁠politician Olfa ⁠⁠Hamdi to four years in prison on charges of plotting against state security and inciting the ⁠⁠military to disobey orders, the latest move against opponents of ⁠⁠Saied.

突尼斯多个城市的抗议活动与该国日益加深的经济、社会和政治危机不谋而合。

2026年10月17日，在突尼斯首都突尼斯市，示威者举行抗议活动，要求恢复民主，谴责对自由日益增长的限制，加大了对总统凯斯·赛义德的压力。[Zoubeir Souissi/路透社]

突尼斯首都突尼斯市和南部城镇杰比尼亚纳发生罕见骚乱，突尼斯警方与抗议者发生冲突，起因是近期与警方有关的死亡事件。

周四，在首都郊区埃塔达门，一名男子因涉嫌贩毒被拘留后死亡，警方发射催泪瓦斯驱散了抗议者。

列表 1/3 数千人集会，举行多年来最大规模的抗议活动，反对突尼斯总统赛义德

突尼斯经济危机加剧（共3条），美好生活的希望逐渐破灭

突尼斯当局因反对派政治人物在社交媒体上的帖子，判处其四年监禁（共3条，此为第3条）。

该男子的家人表示，他因被捕后遭到警察虐待而死亡，并呼吁查明其死亡情况，追究相关责任人的责任。

但当地媒体报道称，他是因吞服毒品而死亡的。

据路透社报道，抗议者封锁道路、焚烧轮胎并向警察投掷石块。安全部队在试图控制该地区的一个国民警卫队哨所时，发射了催泪瓦斯作为回应。

在斯法克斯省杰比尼亚纳，一名男子死亡后，警方与抗议者发生冲突。该男子的亲属称，他是在被安全部队追捕时死亡的。

突尼斯媒体报道称，抗议者纵火焚烧了一辆汽车和轮胎，而警方则对抗议者使用了催泪瓦斯。

沿海城市斯法克斯的学生抗议又一起平民死亡事件，这次他们将一名患有心脏病的女学生的死亡归咎于救护车服务。

她的同事们表示，由于医疗设施不足，救护人员到达的时间太长，并呼吁斯法克斯大学各院系于周五举行罢工。

周四的冲突爆发恰逢突尼斯经济、社会和政治危机日益加深，民众对生活条件恶化和公共服务匮乏的愤怒情绪日益高涨，加剧了人们对更大规模暴力抗议的担忧。

周六，数千名突尼斯民众在首都举行了多年来规模最大的反对总统凯斯·赛义德的抗议活动，指责他破坏民主、处理经济不善，对他的统治构成了日益严峻的挑战。

突尼斯一家军事法庭周三判处反对派政治家奥尔法·哈姆迪四年监禁，罪名是密谋危害国家安全和煽动军队不服从命令，这是针对赛义德反对者的最新举措。