Tunisia prolongs state of emergency for another month

By Yousra Wannas

TUNIS

President Beji Caid Essebsi on Friday announced the extension of Tunisia’s countrywide state of emergency for another month.

According to a statement released by his office, Essebsi on Friday received Interior Minister Hisham al-Furati and Defense Minister Abdul Karim al-Zubaidi at the presidential palace in Carthage.

The three men reportedly discussed the country’s security situation -- and the ability of the national security apparatus to fight terrorism -- before deciding to extend the state of emergency.

The state of emergency was first imposed following Tunisia’s popular uprising in late 2010/early 2011, which ended the regime of autocratic 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.

Renewed several times since, the state of emergency endows the interior minister with exceptional powers, including the imposition of curfews and media censorship without judicial approval.