Tunisian police fired tear gas on October 22, 2026, to disperse protesters in the capital suburb of Ettadhamen following the death of a man detained on suspicion of drug dealing, whose family alleged police violence. Similar violent clashes erupted in the southern towns of Jebeniana and Agareb over a fatal security chase, while student protests hit Sfax following the cardiac death of a female student linked to delayed medical care. The widespread unrest reflects mounting public fury over public services amid a deepening political and economic crisis under President Kais Saied.
Ettadhamen detainee death protests
- ▪The family of the deceased Ettadhamen detainee stated he died from police violence after his arrest and demanded an investigation and accountability.
- ▪Tunisian police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the Tunis suburb of Ettadhamen on October 22, 2026, following the death of a man detained on suspicion of drug dealing.
- ▪Protesters in Ettadhamen blocked roads, burned tires, and threw stones at police while security forces fired tear gas to protect a local National Guard station on October 22, 2026.
- ▪Local Tunisian media reported that the man detained in Ettadhamen on suspicion of drug dealing died after swallowing drugs.
Southern Tunisia police clashes
- ▪Tunisian police clashed with protesters in Jebeniana on October 22, 2026, after a man died during a security chase according to his relatives.
- ▪Clashes between police and protesters occurred in Agareb, located in Sfax governorate, on October 22, 2026.
- ▪Protesters in Jebeniana set a vehicle ablaze and burned tires on October 22, 2026, prompting police to fire tear gas.
Sfax student death
- ▪Students called for a strike across university faculties in Sfax on October 23, 2026, over the female student's death and medical delays.
- ▪Students in Sfax protested on October 22, 2026, following the cardiac death of a female student whose colleagues blamed delayed ambulance response times on a lack of medical facilities.
Anti-Saied mass protests
- ▪A Tunisian military court sentenced opposition politician Olfa Hamdi to four years in prison on October 21, 2026, for plotting against state security and inciting military disobedience.
- ▪Thousands of Tunisians rallied in Tunis on October 17, 2026, in the largest demonstration against President Kais Saied in years, accusing him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy.
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