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.
The activists took part in demonstrations in 2020, demanding action over pollution and health concerns that residents associate with the facility.
Defence lawyer Hamida Chaieb said eight of the activists received six-month suspended prison sentences, while the remaining two were sentenced to one year in prison.
READ ALSO: Tunisian Protesters Demand Release of Four Political Activists
The case was brought by the state-owned factory, which accused the protesters of obstructing its operations.
The activists said they believed the case had been dropped after their initial arrests and subsequent release. However, they later discovered they had been sentenced in absentia in 2023, prompting a retrial.
The case has renewed concerns over the environmental and health impacts of the phosphate-processing plant.
Researchers have reported that some of the facility’s industrial waste and emissions contain radioactive substances that could pose serious health risks.
In February, a court rejected calls for the plant’s operations to be suspended.
Meanwhile, Tunisia plans to increase phosphate production more than fourfold by 2030, as President Kais Saied seeks to revive the sector, which is considered vital to the country’s economy.
Africanews
