Tunisia

07 Sep 2021; MEMO: The ambassadors of the Group of Seven (the G7) countries yesterday called on Tunisian President Kais Saied to "appoint a new prime minister as soon as possible, and return to the constitutional path in which Parliament has a prominent role".

This came in a statement signed by the ambassadors of the United States, Germany, France, Britain, Japan, Italy, and Canada, and which was published on the official page of the British Embassy in Tunisia.

05 Sep 2021; MEMO: The Observatory of Rights and Freedoms in Tunisia has strongly condemned the ongoing human rights violations in the country that started on 25 July 2021. It accused the law enforcement and security agencies of carrying out verbal and physical violence against peaceful protesters.

03 Sep 2021; MEMO: Tunisian President Kais Saied yesterday directed the heads of the security apparatus to handle demonstrations "according to the law", and commit to respecting the rights of citizens to peaceful protests and freedom of expression.

This came during a meeting between Saied, Acting Interior Minister, Ridha Gharslawi, Sami Al-Hichri, Director General of National Security, and Mourad Hussein, Director General of Public Security, according to a statement issued by the Tunisian Presidency.

03 Sep 2021; MEMO: The Assistant Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labor Union, Sami Tahiri, called for the speedy formation of a government and warned against heading towards a "no state or dismantle state" scenario.

TUNIS, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Tunisia's powerful labour union on Friday called on the president to propose changes to the political system and put them to a referendum after his seizure of governing powers in July in a move critics called a coup.

The UGTT union, which has so far backed President Kais Saied since he sacked the prime minister, suspended parliament and said he was taking over executive authority, has for weeks urged him to name a government and announce a roadmap for the crisis.

01 Sep 2021; MEMO: Officials in Tunisia are working to set up fabricated charges against the Ennahda movement claiming it is involved in acts of terrorism, ahead of launching a security campaign against the group, details leaked to Arabi21 appear to show.

28 Aug 2021; MEMO: A Tunisian judge has deplored President Kais Saied's appointment of one of "the executioners of the Gafsa mining basin uprising" as head of the Intelligence Directorate at the Interior Ministry on account of his record of human rights violations.

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: Head of the Ennahda Party, Rached Ghannouchi, yesterday dismissed members of the movement's executive office with the aim of introducing reforms to the party's structures.

A statement issued by the party said that Ghannouchi had decided to restructure the executive office "in a way that meets the requirements of the current situation and achieves required efficiency."

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: The suspension of parliament in Tunisia has been extended indefinitely by President Kais Saied, Anadolu has reported. Saied announced the initial 30-day suspension on 25 July.

The president also extended the suspension of MPs' immunity, his office added. He will deliver a speech to the nation about this in the coming days.

23 Aug 2021; MEMO: Tunisian President Kais Saied yesterday stressed that "there is no turning back", in reference to the exceptional measures he took nearly one month ago.

In a statement, the Tunisian Presidency stated that "exceptional measures have been taken to protect the Tunisian state from collapsing in light of the unprecedented crisis and to put an end to choices that have increased the people's misery and poverty and robbed their strength and resources."

"There is no turning back," it added.