Tag: Tunisia

Tunisia mourns victims of revolution

TUNIS - Tunisia began national mourning on Friday for the dozens killed in its revolution, a week after the ouster of veteran ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, as new protests called for the old regime to be destroyed. Flags flew at half-mast and state television broadcast prayers from the Koran for the 78 people that officials say were killed when security forces cracked down on a wave of social protests that began last month.
Tunisia's Religious Affairs Ministry said all imams

Tunisia arrests Ben Ali relatives amid new protests

TUNIS - Tunisian authorities arrested 33 members of toppled leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's family as protesters rallied again on Thursday to demand the rooting out of the dictator's former ruling party.
The arrests were announced on state television, which showed footage of luxury watches, jewellery and credit cards seized in raids on homes of the former first family. Authorities had opened an investigation against them for plundering the nation's resources, it said. The mass

Thousands protest in Tunisia as union rejects government

TUNIS - Thousands of protesters put Tunisia's new government under pressure on Tuesday with activists rejecting the leadership just days after the ouster of the Arab state's former strongman.
Tunisia's largest trade union and other groups have refused to recognise a transitional government that contains eight ministers from the discredited regime of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Key Islamist leader Sadok Chourou, who was imprisoned for 20 years under the old regime, led one

Tunisia unveils freedoms but regime retains key posts

TUNIS - Tunisia on Monday unveiled unprecedented new freedoms and announced the release of political prisoners after a popular revolt but the ousted president's party held on to key posts in the new cabinet.
Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi will remain as head of the transitional government, which will prepare for presidential and parliamentary elections after former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali resigned and fled on Friday. The ruling party also retained the key foreign,

Hundreds rally in Tunisia against Ben Ali’s party

TUNIS - Hundreds of people rallied in central Tunis on Monday to demand the abolition of ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's RCD party as police fired volleys of tear gas to break up the protest.
Demonstrators in two towns in the central west also demanded the end of the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), members of which are expected to feature in the transitional government due to be unveiled Monday.
"The revolution continues! RCD out!" shouted several hundred

Tunisia holds new govt talks after revolt

TUNIS - Tunisia's main parties held talks on Sunday to form a national unity government as soldiers patrolled the streets amid fears of a backlash by supporters of ousted strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Officials said the government would now investigate killings of civilians during the wave of protests that led to Ben Ali's abrupt departure after 23 years in power and look into allegations of corruption of his inner circle. Around 1,500 protesters held a peaceful rally in the

Thousands march in Tunisia to demand president’s ouster

TUNIS - Thousands of protesters demanded the immediate departure of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in marches across the country Friday, emboldened by his pledge to step down in 2014 after weeks of unrest.
"No to Ben Ali, the uprising continues," hundreds shouted in a march down the main boulevard in central Tunis, Avenue Bourguiba, while thousands more protesters took to the streets in other towns shouting "Ben Ali out". The crowd in the capital, which included lawyers in

Troops deployed in capital as Tunisia sacks minister

TUNIS - Troops were deployed in the Tunisian capital on Wednesday as the government sacked the interior minister and announced it would free protesters after weeks of demonstrations that unions said left scores dead.
In a sign of increasing government concern, armoured vehicles rumbled through Tunis and troops took up positions at major intersections and the entrance to the Cite Ettadhamen quarter where rioters burnt vehicles and attacked government offices late Tuesday.
It

Anger grows in Tunisia as 50 killed in riots

TUNIS - Anger over a crackdown on protesters in Tunisia grew on Tuesday as a union official said 50 were killed in three days of unrest while artists and hospital staff joined demonstrations.
Locals reported looting in the town of Kasserine overnight and said demonstrators were fired upon from rooftops. Meanwhile schools and universities across the country were shut as the government tried to quell weeks of protests centred on unemployment. A union official told AFP that at least