Tunisia extends state of emergency for one more month

By Enes Canli

TUNIS

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi announced the extension of a countrywide state of emergency for one more month, which is set to expire March 11, the presidential office said late Friday.

“Following consultations with Prime Minister Yusuf al-Shahid and Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Nasser, President Essebsi has decided to extend the state of emergency for one more month, effective as of Saturday,” according to a statement.

The temporary state of emergency was first imposed in Tunisia following the country’s 2011 popular uprising, which ended the regime of longstanding president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

state of emergency was imposed in late 2015 after a terrorist attack in the capital Tunis left dozens dead, including security personnel.

The current state of emergency was extended for three months in November 2017.

The state of emergency -- which has been renewed several times -- invests Tunisia’s interior minister with exceptional powers, allowing him to impose curfews, ban large assemblies, and censor the media without judicial approval, among other things.