Gaza activist Wael Naouar in critical condition after 39 days of hunger strike in Tunisia

Wael Naouar is in critical condition as his hunger strike enters its 39th day, according to the Gaza Sumud Flotilla organization. Naouar, a Gaza solidarity activist, has been hospitalized more than a month after starting the hunger strike to protest his detention in Tunisia. Bassem Trifi, head of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LTDH), stated that Naouar is in a very critical health condition and is on the verge of death. A prison spokesperson did not immediately comment on Naouar’s case or condition. The activist is demanding that authorities drop charges of financial misconduct against him and three other activists. The four, including Ghassen Henchiri, Ghassen Boughdiri, and Nabil Channoufi, were arrested in March for allegedly misusing funds raised for the Global Sumud Flotilla, which seeks to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza. They remain in pre-trial detention. The Gaza Sumud Flotilla reported that Tunisian authorities are refusing to disclose any information about Naouar to his family or lawyers. This situation follows a judge's rejection of an appeal against the extension of the Sumud 4’s pre-trial detention. Naouar has reportedly lost over 20 kg (44 lb) and is experiencing widespread pain, according to his lawyer. None of the activists have been convicted of any offense but are under investigation for alleged suspicious financial flows. On Saturday, at least 11 people were arrested in Tunisia during a protest demanding the release of the jailed activists. The Gaza-bound flotilla was intercepted by Israel last September, leading to the detention and deportation of the activists to Tunisia. Ghassen Bouaazi, a member of the National Committee for the Defence of Sumud Flotilla Activists, indicated that Naouar has been experiencing fainting, difficulty breathing, and hallucinations. Bouaazi expressed concern over the real danger threatening Naouar's life. A Human Rights Watch report noted the alleged weaponization of financial and criminal investigations by Tunisian authorities against civil society activists. The Tunisian government denies that the prosecutions are political, with President Kais Saied asserting that freedoms are guaranteed, the judiciary is independent, and no one is above the law.