Ex-Tunisia minister refuses to leave the airport

Nourredine Khadmi, the former minister of religious affairs, yesterday confirmed that he is still in Tunis-Carthage Airport after he started a sit-in three days ago after he was banned from travelling. He revealed that a security official met him on Saturday evening and invited him to go to the Public Prosecutor’s Office since he has a travel ban imposed on him by a court.

Khadmi wrote on Facebook: “I was informed by a security official at about 10:30 PM on Sunday that a travel ban was issued against me, I was asked to get out of the airport because if I stay, I violate the law, I was also asked to go to the public prosecutor.”

“Today, Sunday, I am in the airport, and I conducted health checks at the airport due to the deterioration of my health.”

“I have not been told at all for 37 days that there is a judicial decision, and the travel ban against me was not issued based on any judicial ruling. How am I now informed about the said decision that we will deal with it by law? It is noteworthy that my stay at the airport is legal, where I am sitting in a café and I did not cause any disruption to the work of the airport during the three days of my sit-in, as confirmed by the testimony of the security officers of the airport, and my dealing with the security officer and his fellows was friendly.”

The Ministry of Interior confirmed on Saturday evening that the reason for preventing Nourredine Khadmi from travelling is a judicial travel ban.

The Ministry of Interior said in a statement: “Following a number of media outlets circulating the news of the sit-in of a former minister at Tunis-Carthage International Airport because of his travel ban, the Ministry of the Interior confirms that the concerned person is under a judicial travel ban.”

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