Tunisia prolongs state of emergency for 7 more months

By Yousra Wannas

TUNIS

Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi on Tuesday announced the extension of a countrywide state of emergency for another seven months.

“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 seven more months,” read a statement issued by Essebsi’s office.

A state of emergency was first imposed following Tunisia’s popular uprising in late 2010/early 2011, which ended the regime of longstanding President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali after almost 25 years in power.

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

Since renewed several times, the state of emergency endows the interior minister with exceptional powers, including the imposition of curfews, prohibition of assemblies and media censorship without judicial approval.