The people who began the hunger strike on 18 October are: Ahmed Najib Chabbi, the secretary general of the Progressive Democratic Party; Hamma Hammami, the spokesperson of the Tunisian Communist Workers ' Party; Abbdel Raouf Ayadi, the vice president of the Tunisian Congress for the Republic (Congr 232; s pour la République, CPR); Ayachi Hammami, the president of the Mohammed Abbou defense committee and secretary general of the Tunis section of the Tunisian Human Rights League; Mohamed Nouri, the chairperson of the International Association for the Support of Political Prisoners; Mokhtar Yahyaoui, a judge and president of the Centre for the Independence of the Judiciary and Bar; Samir Dilou, a lawyer and human rights activist; and Lotfi Hajji, the head of the Tunisian Journalists Union (SJT).