Tunisia steps up civil society crackdown as anger mounts over power and water shortages

Tunisia is intensifying its crackdown on civil society as public dissatisfaction grows over persistent power and water shortages caused by soaring temperatures. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), at least 47 individuals associated with NGOs have been prosecuted since 2024, with the authorities employing various measures such as prosecution, arbitrary detention, financial investigations, and mass suspensions to target local and civil society groups.

The crackdown reportedly began in May 2024 with the arrests of 14 NGO workers, leading to 10 people being held in preventive detention exceeding the legal limit. Prominent human rights defender Saadia Mosbah was sentenced to eight years in prison in March 2026 based on false charges of financial crimes. Suspended organizations have been forced to cease their work as a result.

The repression has not dampened protests, as residents demand the return of democracy and the release of jailed activists and journalists. Temperatures in Tunisia have reached 50 degrees Celsius this summer, exacerbating the demand for electricity and water, leading to rotating power cuts and impacts on the water distribution system.

Health experts have called for a health emergency due to the unprecedented surge in heat-related deaths. President Kais Saied attributes the power and water failures to deliberate acts of sabotage, without providing evidence, and has blamed citizens for mistreatment in basic services. Civil liberties in Tunisia have reached an "alarming" state since Saied's July 2021 power grab, with numerous arrests of journalists, politicians, and human rights defenders.