AP Explainer: Why are youth protests sweeping Tunisia?
Police officers face demonstrators during clashes in Ettadhamen City near Tunis, Tunisia, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. A growing groundswell of youth unrest, tapping into a well of economic frustration, is sweeping Tunisia and worrying its leadership all the way to the top. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)TUNIS โ A growing groundswell of youth unrest, tapping into a well of economic frustration, is sweeping Tunisia and worrying its leadership all the way to the top. A third of the North African nationโs young people are unemployed โ and many are angry about their stagnant fortunes. A third of Tunisiaโs youth are unemployed and a fifth of the country lives under the poverty line, according to the National Institute of Statistics.
Swiss to lift freeze on millions linked to ex-Tunisia leader
FILE - In this Oct.11, 2009 file photo, then Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali waves from his car at a campaign rally in Rades, outside Tunis. Swiss authorities said Monday Jan. 18, 2021, they are preparing to lift a freeze on tens of millions of dollars worth of assets linked to former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who fled with his family to Saudi Arabia in 2011 and died in 2019. The value of the assets has changed over time based on exchange rates, investment and other factors, the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs said. The department said Swiss authorities repeatedly reached out to Tunisian counterparts before the expiration of the freeze at midnight from Monday to Tuesday. A coalition of non-governmental organizations appealed to Tunisian President Kais Saied seeking an extension of the freeze.
Tunisia marks revolution's 10th anniversary in lockdown
Tunisia is commemorating the 10th anniversary since the flight into exile of its iron-fisted leader, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, pushed from power in a popular revolt that foreshadowed the so-called Arab Spring. But there will be no festive celebrations Thursday marking the revolution in this North African nation, ordered into lockdown to contain the coronavirus. But there were no festive celebrations marking the revolution in Tunisia. Protesters tore down the omnipresent posters of Ben Ali and invaded the luxurious home of the presidentโs brother-in-law, Belhassen Trabelsi. The Tunisia of today โjoins advanced countriesโ as far as democracy is concerned, said Najib Chebbi, founder of the Progressist Democratic Party, the main political opposition under Ben Ali.
AP PHOTOS: Tunisia revolution victims plea for recognition
All these men were injured in Tunisiaโs democratic uprising 10 years ago, and they are begging the government to recognize them as official victims of the revolution. But now, instead of El Arbi supporting his family, theyโre now supporting him. El Arbi was 20 when he was shot in the neck during a protest and had to undergo three complex operations. Families have pushed for years for official recognition of those who lost lives or limbs fighting for democracy, and for government financial support. They hope for an official government list to be published on Thursday, the anniversary of the revolution, to guarantee the rights of victims.
Nostalgia for old era challenges Tunisiaโs democratic gains
Since 2011, Tunisia has been plagued by sinking wages, growing joblessness and worsening public services. While countries in democratic transition often experience such nostalgia, Moussi has tapped into widespread frustration with the failure of Tunisia's post-revolution democratically elected governments to tackle searing poverty. She advocates returning to a strong presidency and security apparatus but is careful not to overly praise Ben Ali. Speakers played a song popular during the Ben Ali dictatorship, with gauzy lyrics about perfect beaches and sunny weather. Mohammed Jegham worked under Ben Ali for 13 years, including as interior minister, defense minister and the president's chief of staff.
Tunisia region at heart of revolution waits to reap rewards
A woman picks through garbage in Kasserine, Tunisia, on Friday Dec. 11, 2020. Hundreds of desperate Tunisians have set themselves on fire over the past 10 years to protest police harassment, poverty or the lack of opportunity in the country. โThe cradle of the revolution gained nothing,โ said Mohamed Lazhar Gamoud, head of the Regional Union of Workers. The anniversary of the uprising is regularly marked with an โinternational festivalโ organized by the workersโ union featuring outdoor concerts, sports and conferences. Ahmed Ammar, an activist in Tunisiaโs civil society, said his country is โlike a reed that bends, but doesnโt break.โ
Tunisia bans full-face coverings in public institutions after bombings
Photo by Michele Mossop/Getty Images(CNN) - Tunisia has banned people from wearing the niqab -- a full-face veil -- in public institutions, citing security concerns. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed signed a government order Friday that prohibits anyone wearing a niqab, which covers everything but the eyes, from accessing public offices, according to official news agency TAP. On June 27, twin suicide bombings in the capital, Tunis, targeted Tunisia's security forces and killed at least one person and injured several others. There have been reports that terrorists have been using niqab to disguise themselves, TAP said. The niqab and hijab, or headscarf, were banned under secular governments until the ouster of longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's regime in 2011, Reuters reports.