Martyrs' Day (Tunisia)

Martyrs' Day is a public holiday in Tunisia, and it is observed on April 9 each year. The holiday honors those who battled and died for independence from French rule, achieved on March 20, 1956.

Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa, and the indigenous people inhabited the area for thousands of years. Over the years, Tunisia was under several different rules such as Roman, the Ottoman Empire, and Muslims.

In 1881, the French defeated the Ottoman Empire, and Tunisia became a French Protectorate. In the early 20th century, nationalists formed several independence movements and started to strive for independence from France.

People formed the political party of Destour in 1920. In 1934, Habib Bourguiba split from the Destour Party and formed the Neo Destour Party, which became the leading independent force in the following years.

The demonstration took place on April 9, 1938. On April 9, 1938, the Neo Destour Party organized thousands of protesters to demand the creation of a Tunisian parliament, which was suppressed by the law enforcement authorities. 22 protestors died, and over 150 people were injured.

After the demonstration, the authorities arrested Habib Bourguiba and his companions and sent them to prison. At the same time, the authorities banned the Neo Destour Party, and its activities continued secretly.

The following is the list of Martyrs' Day in Tunisia from 2022 to 2026.

Please check more public holidays in Tunisia: