Tunisian flotilla activist Wael Naouar's health deteriorates in detention, family says

September 27, 2026 at 08:51 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Wael Naouar, a 41-year-old Tunisian activist detained since March, is suffering deteriorating health in prison, his father Hichem Naouar told Al Jazeera on Wednesday. Naouar began a hunger strike on August 16 and was transferred to hospital as his condition worsened, suspending the strike after 38 days following appeals from lawyers and supporters. His family describes the toll on his children, including nine-year-old Yassar, who now sleeps beside his mother after waking up screaming at night.

Key Facts

Wael Naouar, 41, has been detained since March along with three other activists following an investigation by Tunisia's Economic and Financial Judicial Pole.
Naouar began a hunger strike on August 16 and was transferred to hospital as his condition deteriorated, suspending the strike after 38 days.
His father Hichem Naouar described Wael's symptoms as dizziness, difficulty controlling his left leg, struggling to see clearly, and vomiting.
Wael's nine-year-old son Yassar now sleeps beside his mother after waking up screaming at night and his school results have worsened.

Detention and Hunger Strike

Wael Naouar, 41, is one of four activists held since March following an investigation by Tunisia's Economic and Financial Judicial Pole, a specialised body handling financial and economic crimes. The other detainees are Ghassan Henchiri, Ghassan Boughdiri, and Nabil Channoufi. Naouar began a hunger strike on August 16 to protest his continued detention and was transferred to hospital as his condition deteriorated. He suspended the strike after 38 days following appeals from his lawyers and supporters, saying the decision did not mean abandoning his demands.

Family Impact

Hichem Naouar, Wael's father, spoke to Al Jazeera on Wednesday outside the Tunis Court of Appeal, where he had gone to follow the latest challenge to Wael's detention. Wael's nine-year-old son Yassar tries not to cry during prison visits, but after leaving he finds a corner where he can finally let the tears fall. Yassar now sleeps beside his mother after waking up screaming at night and his results at school have worsened. When Yassar told his mother that other children kept asking whether his father was a thief, she asked him what he thought, and he replied, 'Never.' Wael's four-year-old daughter Sumud is too young to understand why her father is in prison; during a visit she leaned forward to embrace him and hit her head against the glass barrier.

Health Deterioration

During his most recent visit, Hichem saw Wael sitting with his hand against his cheek, his elbow trembling and his gaze fixed in the distance. Wael was struggling to see clearly and to keep water down without vomiting, and he was dizzy and had difficulty controlling his left leg. Wael later told Hichem that other prisoners had said he sometimes wakes during the night calling out his youngest daughter's name.