TUNIS — Four activists, Wael Naouar, Ghassan Henchiri, Ghassan Boughdiri and Nabil Channoufi, have been held in detention since March following an investigation by Tunisia's Economic and Financial Judicial Pole, a specialized body handling financial and economic crimes.
Wael Naouar, 41, began a hunger strike on Aug. 16 to protest his continued imprisonment. He suspended the strike after 38 days following appeals from his legal team and supporters, though he said the decision did not mean abandoning his demands.
During a recent prison visit, his father, Hichem Naouar, found Wael struggling to see clearly and unable to keep water down without vomiting. He experienced dizziness and difficulty controlling his left leg. Hichem described his son sitting with a hand against his cheek, his elbow trembling and his gaze fixed in the distance. Wael told his father that other prisoners reported him sometimes waking during the night and calling out his youngest daughter's name.
The detention has taken a severe toll on Wael's family. His nine-year-old son, Yassar Naouar, tries to appear strong during visits but cries after leaving the prison. Yassar now sleeps beside his mother after waking up screaming at night, and his school results have worsened. Other children have asked Yassar if his father is a thief.
Wael's youngest child, four-year-old Sumud, is too young to understand the situation. When Hichem brought her to visit Wael, she leaned forward to embrace her father behind the glass barrier and hit her head.
The investigation concerns alleged financial irregularities linked to fundraising for the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international campaign seeking to deliver aid to Gaza and challenge Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory.
Hichem Naouar spoke outside the Tunis Court of Appeal while following the latest challenge to Wael's detention. He described his son's condition during their most recent visit, his voice breaking repeatedly.
Hichem also recalled his son's actions during humanitarian efforts. During the Sumud land convoy in Libya in May, armed men attempted to kidnap another participant. Wael intervened, pulled the man to safety and then returned to offer himself in the man's place. During the first Sumud flotilla, Wael jumped into the sea to rescue a female participant who had fallen overboard and was close to drowning.
"Wael's strength is in the strength of his ideas and in his commitment to his people," Hichem Naouar said. "Whenever he heard about any injustice against workers or employees, you would always find him at the forefront."
