The Kairouan section of the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) called for the immediate release of 21 people arrested during nighttime demonstrations that occurred in the city on the evening of Friday, December 12.
These arrests follow protest movements triggered after the death of a young person, a death that his family attributes to violence during a security intervention.
Arrests after nighttime protests
In a press release published and signed by its president Faouzi Mkaddem, the Kairouan section of the LTDH indicates having followed “with deep concern” the arrest operation carried out on the night of Friday December 12 to Saturday December 13. According to the organization, 21 people were arrested in the context of spontaneous demonstrations that broke out after the announcement of the death of Naïm Ben Nourredine El Briki, aged 30.
The LTDH believes that these arrests are directly linked to the expression of popular anger and calls for the immediate release of all those concerned.
Accusations of violence during a security intervention
The local section of the LTDH claims to have contacted the family of the deceased, who maintain that the death was the result of serious injuries suffered during a police intervention.
According to the press release, the facts date back to the night of November 22, when the young man was chased by security agents after refusing to comply while he was riding a motorcycle. The family attributes the death of Naïm Ben Nourredine El Briki to the violence he suffered during this pursuit, believing that medical treatment would have been late.
Call for a neutral investigation
While demanding the release of those arrested, the LTDH affirms that it firmly condemns all forms of violence, “whatever its origin”. The organization calls for the opening of an independent security investigation, entrusted to neutral authorities, in order to establish responsibilities and guarantee the application of the law while respecting the principle of equality between citizens.
The League underlines the need to shed light on the exact circumstances of the death in order to avoid impunity and restore trust between citizens and institutions.
The death of the young man, announced on the evening of Friday December 12, caused great tension in the popular district of Houmet Ali Bey in Kairouan. Young people expressed their anger through road blockages and tire burning, demanding a transparent investigation.
According to the family, the deceased was seriously injured during a police chase while he was driving without documents, before being the victim of violence, then taken late to hospital. His condition then worsened after returning home, with doctors diagnosing an intracranial hemorrhage which caused his death.
Read also
