Draft:Wael Naouar

Wael Naouar
Naouar in September 2025 during the Sumud Flotilla Preparations
Born	(1985-09-01) 1 September 1985 Sousse, Tunisia
Known for	Gaza humanitarian missions
Spouse	Jawaher Channa
Children	2

Wael Naouar (Arabic: وائل نوار) is a Tunisian political activist known for his role in Gaza solidarity campaigns in 2025. He was a spokesperson for the Soumoud Convoy and a steering committee member of the Global Sumud Flotilla. As of September 2026, he has been held in pre-trial detention in Tunisia since March 2026 on financial misconduct charges, which he denies, and has been on hunger strike since August 2026.

Early activism

Naouar is a longtime political activist and critic of the Tunisian authorities. For about two decades he campaigned against unemployment and for social justice. He turned his attention to the Palestinian cause during the Gaza war.

Soumoud Convoy (2025)

In June 2025, Naouar was one of several spokespeople for the Soumoud Convoy, a land convoy that set out from Tunisia toward the Rafah Border Crossing. Before the convoy left, he said supporters from 32 other countries were expected to fly into Cairo. He described the initiative not as an aid convoy but as an effort to break the siege on Gaza. Its aims, he said, were to let aid stockpiled at Rafah and Al-Arish enter, and to allow the wounded to be evacuated.

The convoy was organised by the Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine in Tunisia. It departed Tunis on 9 June 2025 with about 1,500 Tunisians and 200 Algerians. While it crossed Libya, Naouar gave the press regular updates on its progress. The convoy was halted near Sirte and called off on 16 June. After it returned, Naouar said preparations had begun for a second caravan.

Global Sumud Flotilla (2025)

In September 2025, Naouar sailed from the port of Sidi Bou Said with the Global Sumud Flotilla, seen off by thousands of supporters. The flotilla aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by breaking Israel's naval blockade. He was a member of the flotilla's steering committee. Israeli forces intercepted his boat. A video of Naouar confronting the soldiers during the interception circulated widely online. Israel detained the participants and deported them to Tunisia.

Arrest and detention (2026)

In March 2026, Tunisian authorities detained seven activists in connection with a financial investigation into flotilla organisers. Three were later released. Naouar, Nabil Channoufi, Ghassan Henchiri and Ghassan Boughdiri remained in pre-trial detention. The four became known as the "Sumud 4". They are accused of money laundering and of misappropriating donated funds. All four deny the charges.

The investigation was ordered by Tunisia's Economic and Financial Judicial Pole. According to a judicial source cited by the state news agency TAP, it concerns "suspicious financial flows" received by flotilla organisers. Investigators are examining where the funds came from and whether any were diverted to purposes unrelated to the flotilla.

Naouar's lawyer, Bassem Trifi, said the allegations include money laundering, aggravated breach of trust and forgery. He argued that the fundraising was part of a public solidarity campaign held under the watch of the security services, and should not be treated like ordinary financial transactions. On 11 September 2026, an investigating judge extended the four men's detention by four months. The flotilla organisation later said a judge had rejected an appeal against the extension.

Hunger strike

Naouar began a hunger strike on 16 August 2026 to protest his continued detention. The other three detainees joined the strike on 17 September. He has demanded that the charges against all four be dropped.

By early September, Trifi reported that Naouar had lost 18 kg. He said Naouar was suffering from low blood pressure and low blood sugar, and had difficulty breathing, walking and speaking. On 23 September, the 39th day of the strike, the Gaza Sumud Flotilla said he had been admitted to hospital. It also said the authorities were withholding information from his family and lawyers. His lawyer reported a weight loss of more than 20 kg by then. Trifi, who is president of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights, described Naouar's condition as critical and life-threatening. A prison spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Reactions

The detainees' lawyers say the four are being targeted because of their activism and popularity. The authorities describe the case as an apolitical judicial and financial investigation. The government denies that the prosecutions are politically motivated. President Kais Saied has said that freedoms are guaranteed, that the judiciary is independent and that no one is above the law. Critics see the arrests as part of a broader crackdown on activists, journalists and opposition politicians since Saied consolidated power in 2021.

In September 2026, Human Rights Watch published a report documenting what it called the "weaponisation" of financial and criminal investigations against civil society organisations in Tunisia. Brazilian flotilla participant Thiago Ávila and the rights group HuMENA called for the activists' release. The detentions also led to protests in Tunis, one of which ended in 14 arrests.

References

Category:Living people Category:Tunisian activists Category:Tunisian prisoners and detainees Category:Hunger strikers