Tunisia extends state of emergency for an additional month

On Wednesday Tunisia announced a 30-day extension of the state of emergency throughout the country.

“President Kais Saied decided to extend the state of emergency in the entire territory of the republic for a period of 30 days, starting from Thursday,” announced the Tunisian Presidency in a statement, of which Anadolu Agency received a copy.

Tunisia has previously extended the state of emergency for three months, starting from 31 January.

The state of emergency was declared in Tunisia for the first time in late 2015, following a terrorist incident, and has since been extended several times.

In May 2011, Tunisia witnessed terrorist acts that escalated in 2013, killing dozens of security officers, soldiers and tourists.

The state of emergency grants the minister of the interior exceptional powers that include banning meetings, imposing curfews, shop inspections during the day and night, as well as monitoring the press, publications, radio broadcasts, movies and theatrical performances, without the need to obtain prior permission from the judiciary, which human rights organisations have repeatedly denounced.

READ: Tunisia announces failure of a ‘terrorist plot’ to spread coronavirus