Tunisia: CPJ Calls On Tunisia to Release Imprisoned Journalists Amid Deadly Heatwave
[CPJ] New York -- The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately release journalists Zied el-Heni, Mourad Zghidi, and Borhen Bsaies, as reports of prisoner deaths amid an extreme heatwave raise grave concerns about life-threatening conditions in the country's overcrowded prisons.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on the Tunisian authorities to release three imprisoned journalists, Zied el-Heni, Mourad Zghidi, and Borhen Bsaies, amid reports of prisoner deaths due to a deadly heatwave. Ten prisoners have already died in recent weeks, with temperatures in some areas reaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
The CPJ expresses concern over the overcrowded prisons, lack of water and electricity, inadequate ventilation, and limited medical care. The journalists faced imprisonment for their journalism and right to free speech. Zghidi and Bsaies have been incarcerated since May 2024, while el-Heni has been serving a one-year sentence since April 24 for criticizing the prosecution of another journalist. The CPJ demands their immediate release and an investigation into the recent deaths in custody.
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