Tunisian prisons are facing a severe overcrowding crisis, with the number of inmates rising to approximately 33,000 against a capacity that does not exceed 17,000, pushing the occupancy rate to around 194 percent of their capacity. During last summer, deaths were recorded inside prisons, raising human rights concerns regarding detention conditions and their impact on the health and dignity of prisoners.
In the same context, Fethi Jraiy, head of the National Authority for the Prevention of Torture, clarified that the number of prisoners has increased by at least 10,000 over the past two years. Hussein Bouchiba, head of the Tunisian Network for Transitional Justice, warned that the issue is turning into a structural crisis, noting that overcrowding leads to a deterioration of living conditions and difficulties in providing cleanliness and ventilation, in addition to increasing the burden on staff and the likelihood of tension and violence.
For his part, Shokri Latif, head of the Tunisian Organization Against Torture, warned that overcrowding leads to the spread of infectious diseases and the suffocation of prisoners, especially the elderly and those suffering from chronic illnesses. He considered that these conditions contradict the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Tunisian law, calling for the maintenance of prison institutions and the provision of permanent medical staff.
Ahmed Al-Hammami, spokesperson for the "Ahrar" coalition, indicated that overcrowding rates have exceeded 200 percent of capacity, proposing the release of convicts sentenced to penalties of less than one year in exchange for electronic bracelets. He confirmed the presidency's interest in expanding alternative penalties, amid a plan to implement electronic bracelets by 2030, while the spokesperson for the General Authority for Prisons and Rehabilitation denied any general health deterioration or neglect in medical care.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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