Shi'ama Issa begins a periodic hunger strike in Manouba prison
The political and leadership activist of the National Salvation Front, Shima Isa, announced on Tuesday her entry into a hunger strike inside Manouba Women's Prison in solidarity with rights activist Ayachi Hammami. This symbolic move comes as a protest against the appellate court ruling in her right in what is known as conspiracy on state security on state security and to condemn her prison conditions.
The protest program decides to strike on the first Tuesday of each month, in response to a call by former minister Ayachi Hammami to organize a monthly joint movement with a number of political detainees. The prosecutions and sentences issued in this file face continuing criticism from political and human rights parties that have been seen as targets of a number of opponents.
On 28 November 2025, the Tunisian Court of Appeal issued sentences ranging from 5 to 45 years in prison against dozens of protesters, raising Issa's sentence from 18 to 20 years in prison, and sentencing him to a 5-year jail term. Isa was stopped by security authorities on 29 November 2025 while participating in a march in the capital, before the Mahami stopped on 2 December 2025 to execute the sentence.
The facts of the case go back to February 2023 when Issa was first detained and spent about 5 months in reserve custody, being temporarily released on 13 July 2023 under precautionary measures including travel stone and appearing in public spaces. The official indictment list is based on chapters from the Criminal Journal and anti-terrorism laws that include changing state authority, attempting to violate public order, and assaulting internal and external state security.
The defence bodies at the next stage are heading to appeal to the Court of Cassation for a violation of the appellate rulings before the Court of Appeal. This coincides with the families of detainees and activists continuing to coordinate monthly protest pauses demanding the release of the convicts and an end to follow-up on their rights.
