馃嚬馃嚦TunisiaNorth Africa
Tunis appeals court upholds 38-year sentences for five Mornaguia prison escapees
via Business News2 min read
The specialized criminal chamber for terrorist crimes at the Tunis Court of Appeal issued its verdict on June 9, 2026, in the case of the escape of five terrorist detainees from Mornaguia Civil Prison. The court upheld the initial judgment, confirming the convictions and 38-year prison sentences for each of the five main defendants: Ahmed Melki, also known as "Somali," Ameur Bala芒zi, Raed Touati, Alaa Ghazouani, and Nader Ghanmi. These individuals were involved in the October 31, 2023, escape of five dangerous detainees from Mornaguia prison. Four of them were apprehended on November 7, 2023, in the mountainous area of Boukornine, Ben Arous governorate, while the fifth was arrested two days earlier in Cit茅 Ettadhamen, Ariana governorate. The appeals court, however, overturned the initial judgment against four prison administration agents, acquitting them. The court also confirmed the guilt of eight other defendants, reclassifying their actions as negligence by a public agent responsible for guarding an escaped detainee. Each of these eight received a two-year suspended prison sentence with a warning against reoffending. Additionally, the court increased the sentences for two other defendants to seven years in prison and reclassified the charges against seven other defendants as complicity by an agent responsible for guarding an escaped detainee, sentencing them to seven years of imprisonment.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Business News.
Tunisian journalist Mohamed El Meherzi passed away on Friday, July 24, 2026, at the age of 92. He was a prominent figure in national broadcasting, known for his role in establishing televised news in Tunisia and training early generations of public service journalists. Born on September 3, 1934, Meherzi began his media career in 1956 at Tunisian Radio, where he contributed to the "Tunisification" process of the institution. During his time at the radio, he covered significant events in Tunisia's post-independence state-building, including political, economic, and social developments, as well as issues related to national sovereignty. After seven years, he joined the United Nations, leading the UN Information Office in Tunisia and overseeing programs across various sectors. He also managed communication for international conferences held by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa. In 1966, at the request of Mohamed Mzali, then director general of Tunisian Radio-Television, and under instructions from President Habib Bourguiba, Meherzi returned to establish the information department for the newly launched Tunisian television. He became the first editor-in-chief of televised news and the first presenter of the national television news. He structured the news service and supervised various information and analysis programs. Following his departure from television, Mohamed Meherzi pursued a diplomatic career, serving as an advisor at the Tunisian Embassy
A recent heatwave in Tunisia, with temperatures exceeding 45掳C, has led to the deaths of thousands of animals in farms, pet shops, and small family operations. Widespread electricity and water supply interruptions exacerbated the situation, depriving animals of ventilation, cooling, and sufficient water. Social media has been flooded with distressing images from farmers showing dead fish, birds, and poultry, highlighting the catastrophic losses. In fish farms, power outages halted aeration systems crucial for maintaining oxygen levels, causing fish to die from asphyxiation as water temperatures rose and oxygen capacity decreased. Poultry farms faced similar devastation; chickens and other birds, unable to sweat, rely on respiration to regulate body temperature. Prolonged power cuts disabled vital ventilation systems, leading to heat accumulation and mass mortality from thermal stress. This tragedy represents not only significant economic losses for farmers, often losing their sole source of income, but also a profound emotional toll. Pet shops also reported animal deaths. Climate specialists have warned about intensifying heatwaves in the Mediterranean, and this event underscores the critical need for resilient infrastructure to withstand extreme weather conditions. The combination of high temperatures and infrastructure failures created hostile environments where animals could not survive, leaving a lasting trauma for affected breeders.
Fathi Ben Khalifa, economic advisor to the president of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fishing UTAP, has highlighted the severe economic consequences of electricity and water supply interruptions on Tunisia's agricultural and fishing industries. In an interview on July 24, 2026, Ben Khalifa stated that these disruptions jeopardize food security and the livelihoods of thousands of professionals, attributing the vulnerability to a lack of adequate backup systems. The fishing sector is particularly affected. Ben Khalifa observed that despite abundant sardine catches, many boats remained docked because power cuts halted ice production and water supply to port factories. Without ice, fish cannot be preserved in temperatures sometimes exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, leading canneries to reject catches. He urged the Agency of Ports and Fishing Equipment to equip all ports with permanent generators and water tanks to ensure continuous ice production. Aquaculture projects are also at risk, requiring continuous power for oxygenation, pumping, filtration, and cooling systems. Ben Khalifa noted that a new aquaculture project suffered significant damage due to simultaneous water and electricity cuts, with substantial investments potentially lost in hours. He added that extreme temperatures, combined with power outages, make fish losses almost inevitable. The poultry sector faces similar challenges, as industrial farms rely on electricity for ventilation, cooling, feeding, and lightin