Bilel Smai

Inside Prison

Bilel Smai, a 28-year-old young Tunisian from the governorate of Nabeul, suffers from a heart condition. He was subjected to suspected serious torture at the Korba duty police post, and was later committed to Belli civil prison, where his health deteriorated without adequate care.
On Sunday 16 August 2026, while he was at the Korba duty police post in connection with an ongoing security investigation, he was taken to the holding room, where a security officer from the Menzel Temime emergency police unit, abusing his position while performing his duties, physically assaulted him by repeatedly kicking and choking him, in order to force him to confess and provide information. According to his lawyer, the assault was so severe that it caused bleeding and left him in a critical health condition, particularly given his heart disease.
After his committal to Belli civil prison, his health continued to deteriorate, without him being given emergency treatment or the necessary medical care required by his critical and chronic health condition (heart disease and the bleeding that followed the assault).