Mohamed Yousfi underwent emergency surgery for appendicitis during his detention, raising concerns about his post-operative care.
Tunisian journalist Mohamed Yousfi was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery on September 4, 2026, while in police custody. The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) announced that Yousfi suffered a medical emergency and was operated on for appendicitis. The syndicate stated that the conditions of detention are incompatible with the necessary post-operative recovery and that the journalist's health is the responsibility of the authorities.
Yousfi, an investigative editor at Al-Katiba, is being investigated for alleged illicit enrichment and money laundering. Judicial sources cited by TAP indicated suspicions of forming an agreement to harm individuals and property, habitual money laundering within an organization, and exploiting professional facilities. A judicial investigation has been opened, and Yousfi is presumed innocent.
The SNJT has linked Yousfi's detention to his journalistic work, questioning his interrogation about his reporting and the editorial line of Al-Katiba. The syndicate asserts that journalists should not be imprisoned and demands Yousfi's release for proper medical treatment and to exercise his defense rights. Yousfi was arrested before a scheduled appearance on a radio show discussing hydraulic policies in Tunisia.
Why it mattersJournalist Mohamed Yousfi is affected by allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering, leading to his detention and requiring emergency surgery.
Read in ASJ →The Ministry of Education is allocating over 672 million dinars for school rehabilitation and equipment ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year.
Tunisia's Ministry of Education has announced a significant investment of more than 672 million dinars for the rehabilitation and equipping of schools before the start of the 2026-2027 academic year. This figure represents an increase of approximately 40 million dinars compared to the previous year's allocation, according to Anis Kouki, Director General of Construction and Equipment at the ministry. The funds are primarily directed towards maintenance, the creation of new teaching spaces, and enhancing school security.
A substantial portion, over 400 million dinars, is dedicated to maintenance, supporting more than 1,200 interventions to address urgent needs in existing facilities. This focus aims to improve infrastructure, including buildings and classrooms, to provide better conditions for students. Additionally, over 150 million dinars will fund the creation of nearly 300 new teaching spaces to accommodate increased student numbers, complementing the opening of new schools.
Security is also a key component, with plans to install surveillance cameras in 2,000 primary schools to bolster the safety of students and school premises. This comprehensive investment underscores the priority given to upgrading the existing school infrastructure, addressing accumulated needs within the Tunisian school system.
Why it mattersStudents and teachers will benefit from improved school facilities, including better infrastructure, new classrooms, and enhanced security measures.
Read in ASJ →The agriculture ministry will recalibrate output in the poultry sector following record heat and power outages that caused livestock mortality.
Tunisia's Ministry of Agriculture announced it will adjust production in the poultry sector to account for losses incurred during a record heatwave in July and August. Professionals in the sector reported a production deficit, though they stated it has not yet reached crisis levels. Saloua Dhaouadi of the ministry's Directorate General of Agricultural Production stated that the ministry, in coordination with sector stakeholders, will precisely assess the extent of losses to inform production adjustments.
Frequent electricity and water outages this summer disrupted ventilation and cooling systems in many poultry farms, leading to asphyxiation and mortality among flocks, particularly in small and medium-sized operations. Ms. Dhaouadi noted that production was affected by mortality, growth delays, and reduced productivity, especially in the broiler chicken sector, and also impacted some slaughterhouses. She recommended investing in and generalizing renewable energy use to adapt to climate change and prepare farms for unexpected power cuts.
The National Chamber of Poultry and White Meat Merchants reported a monthly poultry production shortage, but assessed the situation as not yet critical. Exceptional heatwaves, exacerbated by power and water cuts, caused poultry mortality and decreased productivity. Urgent measures are needed to limit losses, ensure production continuity, and maintain market balance, alongside medium and long-term programs to ensure sector sustainability and enhance its resilience to exceptional climate phenomena.
Why it mattersPoultry farmers and businesses face production losses and potential financial strain due to heat-related mortality and infrastructure failures.
Read in ASJ →New recruitment drive includes 434 specialist doctors, 52 pharmacists, and 53 dentists, with applications for specialists due October 16.
Tunisia's Ministry of Health has announced the opening of 544 new positions within the public health sector, according to official government publications. The largest portion of these openings, 434 positions, are for specialist doctors across various medical fields. An additional 52 posts are designated for public health pharmacists and 53 for public health dentists. The recruitment also includes two hospital doctor positions and three senior hospital doctor roles.
The primary recruitment effort focuses on 434 specialist doctors, with 433 positions allocated to the Ministry of Health and one specialist role in preventive and community medicine for the National Health Evaluation and Accreditation Authority. Applications for these specialist positions, which involve a review of qualifications and work, must be submitted by October 16, 2026, with the selection process commencing on November 16.
Beyond the main health ministry roles, 42 additional specialist doctor positions are being filled through detachment to other government bodies. The Ministry of Finance will receive three specialists, the Ministry of Interior 24, and the Ministry of Defense 15 across various critical disciplines. These 42 positions are separate from the 544 announced for the public health sector.
Why it mattersThe Ministry of Health's recruitment of 544 new positions, including 434 specialist doctors, directly impacts the availability of medical services for the Tunisian population.
Read in ASJ →A new government directive requires multi-factor authentication, secure hosting, and annual security audits for all state administrations and public companies.
Tunisian public administrations and companies must now comply with new cybersecurity regulations outlined in government circular number 05, dated September 2, 2026. Key mandates include implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for system access, hosting digital services with approved operators, and ensuring all communications use the HTTPS protocol. The circular also mandates immediate reporting of security incidents and prohibits the transmission of administrative documents via messaging apps or social media, restricting official exchanges to institutional email addresses ending in ".tn".
The directive aims to bolster the security of digital public services by requiring a second layer of verification beyond just a password for accessing systems. This will necessitate technical and organizational adjustments, particularly for entities lacking adequate infrastructure. Furthermore, the ban on using personal messaging applications for official document sharing will alter daily work habits, requiring clear guidelines and secure alternatives for public sector employees.
Public entities will also be required to conduct annual IT security audits to identify and rectify vulnerabilities proactively. Protection against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks is also stipulated to ensure the availability of public digital platforms. The effectiveness of these new rules, however, hinges on their practical implementation, including the timeline for compliance, allocated budgets for MFA deployment and audits, and the oversight mechanisms for enforcement.
Why it mattersPublic administrations and state-owned companies face new operational requirements and potential costs to comply with enhanced cybersecurity measures.
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