Four individuals were detained in Tunisia after the Turkish national flag, similar in design to Tunisia’s but distinct, was mistakenly hoisted atop a government facility, as reported by local outlets on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at the Tunis-based headquarters of the national railway company SNCFT, which led to the spread of video footage online showing the Turkish flag in place of the Tunisian one.
Both flags share red and white colours and feature Islamic symbols—a star and a crescent—though the Tunisian flag is differentiated by a white circle.
On Tuesday, SNCFT addressed the error by removing the incorrect flag and issuing an apology, acknowledging the mix-up and stating that an inquiry had been initiated.
The company explained that the Turkish flag was accidentally bought and the mistake went unnoticed until after it was raised.
The error quickly captured attention on social media, leading to the Wednesday arrest of four railway employees, as reported by Mosaique FM radio and other local media, although details about the identities of the arrested individuals or potential charges were not disclosed.
Previously, in May, the concealment of Tunisia’s national flag during a sports event in Tunis, which resulted in sanctions from the World Anti-Doping Agency, led to the arrest of three officials.
These sports officials were charged with offenses such as “assault on the flag of Tunisia” and “conspiracy against the internal security” of the state. They were released last week after serving a three-month term.
The event also caused public indignation, particularly from Tunisian President Kais Saied, who expressed his discontent and is currently preparing for elections next month, where he is expected to secure a victory.
An image from the May incident depicted President Saied visibly emotional during his visit to the affected venue.
