French PhD Student's Detention Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

Victor Dupont, a French PhD student, was detained in Tunisia on charges of breaching state security. Detained on October 19, authorities are negotiating his release. His arrest is seen as an attack on academic freedom, raising diplomatic tensions between France and Tunisia.

A French PhD student, Victor Dupont, has been detained in Tunisia on charges of breaching state security. The arrest occurred 12 days ago, raising concerns among French authorities who are actively negotiating for his release, informed Vincent Geisser, the director of Dupont's research laboratory.

On October 19, Dupont was taken into custody at his residence in a suburb of Tunis alongside three French visitors. Edouard Matalon, a librarian from Paris, has since been released, but another dual-nationality friend remains detained on similar charges, said Matalon.

Vincent Geisser condemned the arrest, labeling it as an affront to academic freedom. With no immediate comments from Tunisian officials and silence from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the diplomatic dialogue continues. Dupont's research focuses on the socio-economic impact of the 2011 revolution in Tunisia.

(With inputs from agencies.)