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Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights highlights growing environmental activism in Tunisia
via Business News3 min read
On World Environment Day, the Environmental and Climate Justice department of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights FTDES released a statement discussing the evolution of environmental struggles in Tunisia and advocating for more just and inclusive public policies. The FTDES believes that Tunisia's environmental challenges, including pollution, natural resource depletion, and climate change impacts, have moved beyond technical issues to encompass development, human rights, and social justice concerns. The organization notes a significant increase in citizen mobilization, with environmental movements demonstrating improved organization, visibility, and continuity. These movements increasingly link environmental protection with social and economic demands. This trend is evident in local protests where residents not only denounce pollution but also inequalities perceived to be linked to natural resource exploitation and the distribution of development benefits. In 2025, the FTDES recorded 427 environmental mobilizations out of 5,196 social movements, representing nearly 8% of all recorded actions. Of these, 136 directly concerned the right to a healthy environment, 14% targeted industrial pollution, and 9% addressed nuisances from household waste. The statement cites examples such as ongoing protests in Redeyef against the environmental impact of phosphate extraction, the "Stop Pollution" campaign in Gabès against the Tunisian Chemical Group's environmental damage, a
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Lawyer Haïfa Chebbi, a member of the defense committee in the alleged state security plot case, shared an emotional video on Facebook on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, following a visit to Mornaguia Civil Prison. The daughter of opposition figure Ahmed Néjib Chebbi, she condemned the detention conditions during the current heatwave and called for collective awareness. Visibly moved, she described her experience after visiting her father, Ahmed Néjib Chebbi, and detainees Abdelhamid Jelassi and Zied El-Heni. She stated, "I cannot describe what it feels like to leave prison. I can no longer breathe," referring to the stifling heat inside the facility. She noted that temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius in several regions of the country and highlighted that detainees live without air conditioning, are deprived of contact with loved ones, and are confined to overcrowded cells. Haïfa Chebbi reported witnessing the condition of some prisoners firsthand, including Rached Ghannouchi after his return from the hospital, confirming he was suffering greatly from the heat. However, the lawyer absolved prison administration agents, stating that wardens "do everything they can" with available resources, especially for elderly detainees. She insisted, "The prison is not responsible. The prison administration is not responsible." Instead, she attributed responsibility to the political class and, more broadly, to all elites. "We are all responsible. We are all complicit," she declared, regretting t
Tunisia's electricity and gas company, STEG, announced extended power cuts across nearly all regions of the country, lasting from noon until 10 PM on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. This follows an initial round of outages scheduled from 6 AM to noon. STEG justified these intermittent cuts as necessary to "preserve the security and sustainability of the electricity network," noting that power restoration could occur without prior notice. The company also stated that the provided lists of affected areas were not exhaustive and could include additional zones, a point reinforced by citizen reports of outages in unlisted neighborhoods and interruptions exceeding the announced durations, some lasting four to five hours. Occurring during a heatwave, these power cuts are causing significant disruption, affecting air conditioning, elevators, water pumps, and economic activity. Numerous areas are impacted, including Fouchana, La Soukra, El Mourouj, Hammamet, Zaghouan, Bizerte, Makthar, Kairouan, Sousse, Sfax, Gabès, Djerba, Kebili, Tataouine, Zarzis, Ben Guerdane, Médenine, and Gafsa, among others.
Inès Zeghidi marked 800 days since her father, journalist Mourad Zeghidi, was imprisoned, sharing a message on social media. She stated that her father has been behind bars for "words" and is sentenced to over four years in prison. She expressed that her family cannot accept or normalize his imprisonment for what he has said, despite the passage of time. Inès Zeghidi described the absence of her father during significant family events, such as her and her sister's graduations. She also highlighted the harsh conditions at Mornaguia prison, particularly during a heatwave in Tunisia, questioning the danger posed by detainees to warrant such suffering for them and their families. While acknowledging the plight of other prisoners of conscience, her message also conveyed hope, referencing Spain's recent World Cup victory as an example of a country upholding principles and democracy. She recounted her father's words from a visit, where he expressed his determination to defend his freedom and honor, likening himself to figures known for their resolve and combativeness. Inès Zeghidi refuted defamation campaigns against her father, asserting his love for his country, a sentiment he often reiterates: "Tunisia deserves some sacrifices." She noted his continued concern for Tunisia's issues, such as electricity cuts, even while imprisoned. Her message concluded by reiterating that 800 days of imprisonment will not be normalized.