Source: Global Sumud Flotilla
As Tunisian authorities refuse to disclose Naouar’s condition, prominent international artists, public figures and human rights advocates unite to demand the immediate release of the ‘Sumud 4’ and an end to the criminalization of Palestine solidarity.
Sept 23, 2026
TUNIS / INTERNATIONAL – The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has issued an emergency alert following the critical hospitalization of steering committee member Wael Naouar, who has been on an open-ended hunger strike for nearly 40 days in Mornaguia Prison.
Tunisian authorities are now maintaining a complete information blackout, refusing to provide any update regarding Naouar’s medical state or the circumstances surrounding his emergency transfer. The alarming silence comes as dozens of high-profile artists, legal scholars, and political leaders— including climate activist Greta Thunberg, anti-apartheid leader Chief Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, actor Liam Cunningham, and legal commentator Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu —launched an open letter urging the Tunisian government to immediately free Naouar and his three co-defendants.
“Wael Naouar’s life and health are the direct responsibility of the authorities holding him in custody,” stated the Global Sumud Flotilla. “This worrying silence and the total refusal to provide information to his family or legal team raise serious concerns for his safety. We hold the President of the Republic, the General Directorate of Prisons and Rehabilitation, and the Ministry of Justice fully responsible for his life and for any harm that may befall him.”
Naouar launched his hunger strike on August 16 to protest his prolonged detention without trial. On September 10, fellow GSF organizers Nabil Channoufi, Ghassan El Henchiri, and Ghassan El Boughdiri joined the open-ended hunger strike just before the a Tunisian court extended their pretrial detention by four months despite a complete absence of credible evidence. All four men have been held for more than six months for helping coordinate a non-violent civilian aid mission to Gaza.
In their open letter, titled “FREE THE SUMUD 4,” the signatories declare:
“A man has been on hunger strike for more than a month in a Tunisian prison because he refuses to accept that solidarity with Palestine is a crime. His heart could stop at any moment… Tunisia has long stood with the Palestinian people and resisted colonialism. We ask its government to remember that history, and to act before another prisoner pays with his life.”
Prominent Signatories Leading the Global Demand:
- Greta Thunberg , Climate activist and international civil disobedience leader.
- Nkosi Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela , Chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council, anti-apartheid advocate, and grandson of Nelson Mandela.
- Kneecap , Acclaimed Irish hip-hop trio and cultural activists.
- Liam Cunningham , International actor ( Game of Thrones ) and human rights advocate.
- Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu , Prominent lawyer, author, and political commentator.
- Tiz Zaqyah Razak , Award-winning Malaysian actress and public figure.
“We know the power of a voice, a name, a stage, an audience,” the signatories state in the collective declaration. “A man has been on hunger strike for more than a month in a Tunisian prison because he refuses to accept that solidarity with Palestine is a crime. His heart could stop at any moment… From Palestine to Tunisia, from the prison cell to the street, people should not be prosecuted for refusing to accept injustice.”
The open letter outlines four non-negotiable demands:
- The immediate and unconditional release of the Sumud 4.
- Immediate urgent medical care for Wael Naouar and all hunger-striking organizers.
- The dismissal of all charges against all GSF organizers.
- The removal of arbitrary restrictions imposed on previously released GSF organizers.
The Global Sumud Flotilla reiterates that civil society movements, human rights defenders, and cultural leaders worldwide will not sit idly by while civilian organizers face political imprisonment for coordinating peaceful efforts to challenge israel’s illegal siege on Gaza.