Tunisia

Source : AFP | 18 May 2013

The Tunisian government has definitively banned Salafist group Ansar al-Sharia from holding its annual congress at the weekend, the interior ministry said on Friday.

“We have decided to prohibit this gathering, which would be in violation of the law and because of the threat it represents to public order,” a statement said.

Tens of thousands of Salafists were expected to attend the annual congress of Ansar al-Sharia, a radical Tunisian group whose leader is on the run.

By Justin Hyatt | IPS | 14 Dec 2012

Following in the wake of the wave of revolutions dubbed the ‘Arab Spring’, which originated here nearly two years ago, North Africa is gearing up to host the World Social Forum (WSF) for the first time.

While Egypt was initially considered for the role, organisers finally settled on Tunisia. Now, this country of 10.7 million people will welcome visitors from all over the world in March of 2013, in a gathering organisers estimate will number upwards of ten thousand participants.

By AFP | 30 Nov 2012

By Reuters | 30 Nov 2012

By AFP | 21 Nov 2012

The death of two detained Salafists on hunger strike has caused a dilemma for the Tunisian government, which is under pressure to rein in the radical Islamists but is also accused of killing the two protesters.

The dilemma is only likely to worsen, with more than 100 people in detention now refusing food until they are released -- Salafists as well as common criminals -- raising the possibility of more "martyrs" in the near future.

Source : Reuters | 15 Oct 2012

Washington on Sunday urged Tunisia to bring the attackers of its embassy here last month to trial and pledged to continue support for the democratic transition in Tunisia, the cradle of the Arab Spring.

“I call upon the Tunisian government to conduct its investigation and bring the perpetrators and instigators of this attack to justice,” US Ambassador Jacob Walles said in a letter to Tunisians marking a month after the attack on the US Embassy in Tunis.

By Paul Schemm | AP | 30 Jul 2012

Thousands of hardcore Muslims chant against Jews. Youths rampage through cities at night in protest of "blasphemous" art. A sit-in by religious students degenerates into fist fights and the desecration of Tunisia's flag.

Source : Agencies | 17 Jul 2012

Sheikh Rashid Al Ghannouchi has been re-elected the leader of the moderate Islamist party Al Nahda Movement with gaining 72 percent of the votes on Tuesday.

The ruling party in Tunisia held the party's 9th convention which was open to the press corps after 40 years on Tuesday.

At the convention Al-Ghannouchi gained 72 percent of the votes and was re-elected the leader of the party.

Source : AFP | Cairo | 14 Jul 2012

The post-uprising presidents of Egypt and Tunisia said at a news conference yesterday they backed the revolt in Syria but they also opposed foreign military intervention against Bashar Assad.

Egypt’s President Muhammad Mursi and his Tunisian counterpart Moncef Marzouki also expressed their support for the Palestinians, and called on the feuding Fatah and Hamas factions to reconcile.

Source : AFP | Tunis | 05 Jul 2012

A university dean on trial for slapping a female student wearing a full-face veil saw his case postponed on Thursday, but the charges against him were toughened and he faces five years in jail if convicted.

An AFP reporter in court said the proceedings against Habib Kazdaghli, dean of the faculty of arts, letters and humanities at Manouba University outside Tunis, were postponed until October 25.