Human rights organizations in Tunisia are demanding justice and systemic reform following the death of a young man who sustained fatal injuries during a police encounter in Kairouan. The incident has ignited public outrage and drawn attention to longstanding issues of police impunity in the North African nation.
Naim Briki, a thirty-year-old motorcycle rider, died on December 12th from severe head trauma and intracranial hemorrhage days after allegedly attempting to evade a police checkpoint on November 22nd. According to family accounts, Briki was violently beaten by multiple officers following a collision with a police vehicle during the pursuit. Photographic evidence released by the family reveals extensive facial injuries and significant swelling.
In a powerful joint statement, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH), and several other NGOs condemned what they described as “recurring tragedies linked to systematic police violence.” The organizations highlighted the persistent culture of impunity within law enforcement agencies that has allowed such incidents to continue unchecked.
Independent media outlet Inkyfada reports that at least 31 individuals have died at the hands of police since 2011, when mass protests toppled former President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and ignited the Arab Spring movement. Their investigation documents eight demonstration-related deaths, seven fatalities following police chases, and four deaths resulting from excessive force within police stations.
The problem extends beyond fatal encounters. According to Amnesty International, hundreds of complaints have been filed against Tunisian police for human rights violations and torture, with virtually none of the victims receiving fair trials. The organization notes that most investigations into security forces never progress beyond preliminary inquiries.
This climate of impunity has reportedly worsened since President Kais Saied’s July 2021 power grab, which dismantled checks and balances and intensified repression of dissenting voices. Rights defenders now fear a return to the police state tactics that characterized the Ben Ali era.
The announcement of Briki’s death sparked immediate protests in downtown Kairouan, where demonstrators clashed with security forces, threw projectiles, blockaded roads, and burned tires. Local media reported over 21 arrests related to the unrest, though 17 individuals were subsequently released while four remain detained under arrest warrants.
In response to mounting pressure, the public prosecutor’s office announced Monday the opening of a judicial inquiry into Briki’s death. Meanwhile, rights organizations continue to demand transparent investigations, an end to impunity for police violence, and genuine reform within security forces.