A Tunisian court has sentenced 10 environmental activists over protests against pollution linked to a major phosphate-processing plant in the southern coastal city of Gabes, amid growing concerns about the facility’s impact on public health and the environment.
Eight of the activists received six-month suspended prison sentences, while two others were sentenced to one year in prison, defence lawyer Hamida Chaieb said.
The activists participated in demonstrations in 2020, calling on authorities to address pollution and health concerns that residents associate with the industrial facility.
The case was initiated by the state-owned factory, which accused the protesters of obstructing its operations.
Campaigners said they had believed the case was closed after their initial arrests and subsequent release. They later discovered that they had been sentenced in absentia in 2023, prompting a retrial.
The court’s decision has renewed attention on the environmental controversy surrounding the phosphate-processing plant, with researchers reporting that some industrial waste and emissions contain radioactive substances that could pose serious health risks.
In February, a court rejected calls for the facility’s operations to be suspended, leaving the dispute over its environmental impact unresolved.
The legal action against the activists also comes as Tunisia plans to increase phosphate production more than fourfold by 2030.
President Kais Saied’s government considers the phosphate industry vital to reviving the national economy, placing the country’s economic ambitions alongside persistent concerns over pollution and the health of communities living near industrial facilities.
