Tunisia has released Victor Dupont, a French PhD student, who had been detained for several weeks, as confirmed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dupont, who researches social movements, youth unemployment, and Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, was arrested on October 19 along with two other French nationals. While two were later released, the whereabouts of the third individual, a woman with dual French-Tunisian citizenship, remain unclear.
Dupont was in Tunisia to conduct interviews for his research when he was detained less than two weeks after his arrival. He was subsequently presented to a military court in the city of Le Kef, with reports suggesting he was arrested for allegedly undermining national security.
His supporters, including academics from his university and associations focused on Middle Eastern and North African studies, have strongly criticised the charges, claiming they were unfounded. They also condemned the decision to charge him in a military court, emphasising that his research posed no threat to Tunisia’s security.
Asli Bali, President of the Middle East Studies Association, stated in a letter to Tunisian authorities that Dupont’s arrest highlights the constraints on academic freedom in Tunisia today and sets a troubling precedent for future social science research in the country.
Dupont, aged 27, was released on November 12 and returned to France on November 15. Neither French nor Tunisian officials have commented on the exact reason for his arrest. This incident comes amid growing concerns about the curtailing of rights and freedoms under President Kais Saied’s administration. While such detentions of foreign researchers are rare in the region, they have raised alarm, especially in the wake of similar cases like the 2016 death of Italian PhD student Giulio Regeni in Egypt.
