A wave of protests has swept the Tunisian city of Kairouan over the past two days, following the death of a man who, according to eyewitnesses, succumbed to injuries sustained while in police custody.
The incident occurred after police stopped a motorbike rider for driving without a license. Witnesses say he was beaten during his arrest and later taken to hospital, from which he reportedly fled before collapsing and dying from a head injury.
The situation quickly escalated, with protesters blocking roads, setting tyres on fire, and throwing stones and Molotov cocktails. Security forces responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowds.
The regional governor visited the victim’s family and pledged to “open an investigation” to clarify the circumstances of the death and “refer those responsible to the judiciary,” a key demand of the victim’s relatives.
The unrest comes amid an already tense social climate, after Tunisia’s powerful labour union, the UGTT, recently called for a nationwide general strike in January 2026 to defend trade union freedoms and demand negotiations over wages.
