Protesters blocked roads and burned tyres in Ettadhamen, near Tunisia’s capital, after a man died following detention on suspicion of drug dealing. Police used tear gas during clashes on 22 October. His family alleged police violence, while security sources linked the death to swallowed drugs. The cause of death remains unestablished, and the family demanded answers and accountability.
Residents blocked roads and burned tyres in Ettadhamen, near Tunisia’s capital Tunis, after a man died following detention on suspicion of drug dealing. Police confronted demonstrators during the protests on the evening of 22 October. Demonstrators threw stones, while security forces used tear gas and tried to protect a National Guard station. The roadblocks and fires followed the death; responsibility for that death remained disputed.[1], [2]
The man’s father alleged police violence after the arrest. His family demanded that the circumstances of the death be clarified and that those responsible be held accountable. The allegation concerns the treatment he received in custody. Family members disputed the explanation given by security sources, placing the events after his detention at the centre of their demand for answers.[1], [2]
Security sources cited in local reporting linked the death to swallowed drugs, offering a conflicting explanation for what happened. Tunisia’s Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The circumstances of the death are under investigation. No independently established finding has resolved the conflicting accounts from the family and security sources.[1], [2]
