At least 23 prisoners have died in Tunisia in recent weeks amid extreme heat, according to the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH), which attributed the deaths to soaring temperatures and harsh detention conditions.

LTDH President Bassem Trifi said the organisation documented the deaths through information obtained from doctors, lawyers and relatives of prisoners.

He said temperatures inside overcrowded prison cells have at times exceeded 45 degrees Celsius, creating what he described as a serious threat to inmates’ lives.Tunisian authorities have not released official figures on prison deaths during the summer.

An official said no death could be directly attributed to the heat until forensic doctors confirm the cause.Tunisia has experienced intense heat in recent weeks, alongside prolonged power outages and water shortages.

Among those reported dead was businessman Lazhar Sta, according to his daughter, while local media reported the death of a 24-year-old student.

A Lebanese businessman also reportedly died in a Tunisian prison, according to Trifi and a Lebanese judicial source.Human rights organisations have long criticised Tunisia’s prisons over overcrowding, poor ventilation and inadequate access to water.

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) said it was concerned about deteriorating detention conditions and an increase in deaths in prisons.

The LTDH has called for transparent and independent investigations into the reported deaths, amid concerns over the lack of official data.

Relatives of several high-profile detainees have also raised alarm over prison conditions as temperatures increased.Among those whose families have expressed concern is 85-year-old Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi, whose lawyers said in July that his health was critical after he reportedly fainted and suffered severe exhaustion in detention.

Also raising concern is 82-year-old activist Ahmed Nejib Chebbi.Chebbi’s daughter, Haifa, a lawyer, said she would not wait for her father and uncle to die in prison and called for the release of detainees.

Her uncle, Issam Chebbi, is also in detention over charges rights groups have described as politically motivated.Prison authorities said in July that all detainees were receiving medical care in line with regulations and that necessary measures had been taken to protect them from the extreme heat.