Tunisian Police Fire Tear Gas at Protests Near Tunis

Tunisian police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse protesters in Ettadhamen, a suburb of Tunis, according to Al Jazeera. The protest followed the death of a man who had been detained on suspicion of drug dealing.

The man's family said he died as a result of abuse by police officers after his arrest. Local media reported that he died after swallowing drugs. Protesters in Ettadhamen blocked roads, burned tyres and threw stones at police.

Unrest also spread outside the capital. In Jebiniana, in Sfax governorate, police clashed with protesters after a man died, and his relatives said he had died while being chased by security forces. Protesters there set a vehicle on fire and burned tyres, while police used tear gas against them.

In Sfax, students protested the death of a female student who had suffered a cardiac problem. They blamed ambulance services, saying ambulance personnel took too long to arrive. The students called for a strike at the faculties of Sfax University on Friday.

Reuters reported that Tunisian police clashed with protesters in the capital on October 22, a day it described as one of heightened tensions.

The unrest comes against the backdrop of wider protests against President Kais Saied. On October 17, thousands of Tunisians joined what Reuters called the largest protest against Saied in years in the capital. Protesters accused him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy.

Separately, a Tunisian military court on Wednesday sentenced opposition politician Olfa Hamdi to four years in prison. The charges were plotting against state security and inciting the military to disobey orders.