Police used tear gas on Thursday to break up demonstrators in the Tunisian suburb of Ettadhamen, just outside the capital, after the death of a man who had been detained on suspicion of drug dealing. His family asserted that he died from injuries sustained while in police custody, demanding an independent investigation and accountability for those responsible. State media, by contrast, reported that he died after ingesting drugs. Protesters responded by blocking streets, setting fire to tires and throwing stones at officers. Security forces moved to protect a nearby National Guard installation while continuing to disperse the crowds.

In the coastal city of Jebiniana, located in the Sfax governorate, similar clashes erupted following the death of a man whose relatives claimed he was pursued by security personnel. Local outlets described protesters igniting a vehicle and burning tires, while police again deployed tear gas to control the crowd.

The unrest coincides with a broader economic, social and political crisis that has deepened across Tunisia. Earlier in the week, thousands gathered in Tunis for what organizers described as the largest anti‑government demonstration in years, accusing President Kais Saied of eroding democratic institutions and mismanaging the economy. On Wednesday, a Tunisian military court sentenced opposition figure Olfa Hamdi to four years in prison for alleged plotting against state security and inciting the military to disobey orders.

Student protests also surfaced in Sfax after a female university student suffered a cardiac emergency. Her peers argued that delayed ambulance response, attributed to limited medical infrastructure, contributed to her death, and they called for a strike at the city’s university faculties on Friday.

These incidents reflect growing public frustration with deteriorating living conditions and public services, raising concerns that isolated clashes could expand into a wider wave of unrest.