Nabil Maallaoui, a Tunisian national from the governorate of Nabeul, was arrested in January 2025 without any judicial ruling having been issued against him and was placed in detention at the Belli Civil Prison in Nabeul.

During his detention, Maallaoui developed cancer while in prison. However, he did not receive the necessary medical care. Prison authorities reportedly limited their response to providing him with “pills” and an injection, without ensuring any serious or continuous medical follow-up.

According to testimony from his sister, his health condition deteriorated day after day amid severe overcrowding in the cell where he was held and deprivation of adequate nutrition. She further stated that he was provided with only one adult diaper per day, which led to a severe deterioration in his condition to the point that he lost control over his vital bodily functions.

The family also reported that prison authorities refused to accept additional diapers that the family attempted to provide, despite being fully aware of the worsening of his condition.

As his health further deteriorated and he experienced severe breathing difficulties, he was not transferred to hospital until his condition became critically acute. He was transported on the morning of 22 September 2025, at approximately 10:00 a.m., to the Burns Hospital in Ben Arous, where he died at 1:00 p.m.

Despite the seriousness of his condition, the family was not informed of his death until 6:00 p.m. on the same day, even though Maallaoui had previously provided prison authorities with his sister’s phone number to be contacted in the event of his transfer to hospital.

The family further confirmed that prison authorities denied them access to the attending physician despite repeated requests. During their last visit, Maallaoui appeared extremely exhausted and physically weakened.

According to testimonies from friends who were detained with him at Belli Civil Prison in Nabeul, his health condition deteriorated significantly during the final days of his detention. He reportedly suffered from severe breathing difficulties prior to his delayed transfer to hospital, ultimately resulting in his death due to medical neglect and poor detention conditions.