The Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia (CRLDHT) expresses its deep outrage following the death of Lassoued Dhoui, a Tunisian national born on January 14, 1996, who died on August 10, 2026, at the Repatriation Detention Center (CPR) in Palazzo San Gervasio, Italy.
We extend our condolences to his family and demand the truth, justice, and accountability.
Lassoued had been placed in this detention center a few days before his death and, according to initial reports, had mental health issues. This raises an obvious question: How could a vulnerable person have been held in detention without guarantees for his health and safety?
This death occurred at a facility that had already been the subject of serious allegations. In particular, a judicial investigation focused on mistreatment and the administration of psychotropic drugs, including Rivotril. A December 2025 inspection further highlighted deficiencies in medical and psychiatric care, the widespread use of psychotropic drugs, as well as shortcomings regarding psychiatric evaluations and suicide risk prevention.
Full transparency is required regarding Lassoued’s health condition, the medical examinations he underwent, any medications he may have been given, and the reasons for his continued detention.
Wissem, Ezzedine, Rabii, Lassoued: How many more?
This death is not an isolated incident. Wissem Ben Abdellatif, 26, died in 2021 after being held at a CPR. Ezzedine Anani, 44, died at a CPR in 2022. Rabii Farhat died in prison in 2025 after being held at a CPR.
With every death, there are a few reactions, then silence. We refuse to let this become trivialized: migrants are not deportation statistics, but human beings with rights.
Where are the Tunisian authorities?
The silence of the Tunisian authorities is particularly troubling. When were they notified? What steps have they taken with Italy? Has the family been notified and provided with support? Have they requested the results of the autopsy and the investigation?
It is unacceptable that journalists and activists had to post appeals on social media to locate Lassoued’s family. The lack of coverage in the Tunisian media also raises questions about self-censorship and the erosion of independent journalism. The silence from institutions and the media contributes to trivializing these deaths.
Up to 18 months of detention
We also condemn the extension of administrative detention in Italy, which can now last up to 18 months under certain conditions. Such a deprivation of liberty, without a criminal conviction, can have devastating consequences, particularly for mentally vulnerable individuals.
The responsibility lies first and foremost with Italy: Lassoued was deprived of his liberty while under the control of the Italian state, which had a duty to protect his life and health. It is also a European responsibility: EU policies reinforce detention, deportations, and the externalization of borders.
Finally, since the EU-Tunisia memorandum of July 2023, the Tunisian authorities have been cooperating closely with this policy. Tunisia cannot facilitate deportations and remain silent when its citizens die in detention facilities.
We ask that
- an independent and transparent investigation and the determination of all parties responsible;
- a full account of Lassoued's mental state, care, and treatments received;
- explanations regarding the follow-up actions taken in response to the alerts concerning Palazzo San Gervasio;
- effective consular and legal assistance for his family;
- the abandonment of plans to extend administrative detention to up to 18 months and, more broadly, a fundamental overhaul of Italian and European migration policies based on detention, deportation, and the outsourcing of border control to third countries.
Wissem. Ezzedine. Rabii. Lassoued. How many more?
Justice and truth for Lassoued Dhoui.
The Tunisian government must break its silence.
No to a Europe of camps and deportations.
No to Tunisia acting as a subcontractor for European border control.
Paris, August 13, 2026
