Man dies by suicide after reportedly being denied food at restaurant

Tunisia: A man in his 50s has died by suicide outside a restaurant in the affluent coastal district of La Marsa after reportedly asking for food and being turned away, in an incident that has sparked widespread anger across Tunisia.

According to accounts of the incident, the man approached the restaurant saying he was hungry and wanted something to eat. After being told that another meal could not be provided, he left the area without causing a disturbance.

He returned a short time later after reportedly buying a razor blade nearby and inflicted serious injuries on himself outside the restaurant in front of passers-by. Civil protection crews were called to the scene, but the man died after suffering severe blood loss.

News of the death spread rapidly across Tunisian social media, where many users described the case as a disturbing reflection of poverty, social vulnerability and the pressures facing people struggling with unemployment, debt and economic hardship.

The restaurant later issued a statement offering a different account of the events leading up to the man’s death.

Management said the man had visited the restaurant earlier the same day and had been given a free meal. He returned that evening seeking another meal, according to the statement, and a brief verbal disagreement followed when staff declined the request.

The restaurant said the man then left before returning later and harming himself outside the premises.

The statement sought to counter allegations directed at the restaurant after the incident began circulating online, but it did little to quiet the public reaction.