Tunisia

Tunisia court gives long prison terms to 40 opposition leaders, business and media figures

A Tunisian appeals court on Friday sentenced 40 opposition leaders, business and media figures to jail terms ranging from five to 45 years on charges of conspiring against state security,…

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Tunisia says ‘assault’ on Gaza aid ship was ‘orchestrated’

Tunisia said the "assault" on a ship at Sidi Bou Said port was "orchestrated," after the Global Sumud Flotilla, preparing to deliver aid to Gaza, reported one of its boats…

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Flotilla for Gaza reports second drone attack on boat at Tunisian port

The Global Sumud Flotilla, an international aid initiative to deliver vital supplies to Gaza, said on Wednesday that one of its boats was attacked by a drone at a Tunisian…

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Tunisia denies claims Greta Thunberg’s Gaza flotilla was hit by drone

Tunisian authorities have denied claims that one of the Gaza-bound vessels carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists including Greta Thunberg was attacked by a drone. The organisers of the flotilla, Global…

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Tunisia sentences opposition leader Ghannouchi, others

Tunisia sentenced several top politicians and officials including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi to jail on Tuesday. A court sentenced a total of 21 people to 12 to 35 years in…

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Tunisian court hands prison sentences of up to 66 years in mass trial of regime opponents

A Tunisian court has handed down prison sentences of 13 to 66 years to politicians, businessmen and lawyers in a mass trial that opponents say is fabricated and a symbol…

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Tunisia sees a return of ‘self-censorship’ as fear mounts amid arrests

The recent arrests of two lawyers and two journalists in Tunisia for criticising the country's state of affairs have heightened concerns about political and individual freedoms. Since President Kais Saied…

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Tunisia’s Saied moves toward landslide win in election

Supporters of current Tunisian President Kais Saied began celebrations in the capital on Sunday night after an exit poll broadcast on state television showed him winning, beating two rivals, one…

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Tunisian Opposition and Migrants’ Advocates Seek ICC Investigation Over Crackdown and Migrant Abuse

Lawyers and families of jailed Tunisian opposition leaders have appealed to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an investigation into the Tunisian government's crackdown on political dissent and the…

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Tunisian president shuffles cabinet

Tunisian President Kais Saied announced a broad cabinet reshuffle of 19 ministers that included those for defence, foreign affairs and the economy, ahead of a presidential election on Oct. 6.…

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Tunisian president sacks prime minister

Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani and appointed Social Affairs Minister Kamel Maddouri as his replacement, the Tunisian presidency said in a statement late on Wednesday. Hachani…

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Tunisian court jails four presidential candidates and bars them from elections

A Tunisian court sentenced four potential presidential election candidates to eight months in prison and banned them from running for office on a charge of vote buying, politicians and a…

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Tunisian presidential candidates complain of restrictions and intimidation

Tunisian opposition parties, presidential candidates and human rights groups have accused the authorities of using "arbitrary restrictions" and intimidation in order to ensure the re-election of President Kais Saied in…

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Tunisian president sets election date for Oct. 6

Tunisian President Kais Saied set the presidential election date for Oct. 6 and is widely expected to seek a second term, with at least one potential candidate in jail and…

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Tunisian lawyers go on strike, protest against alleged police abuse

Tunisian lawyers staged one-day nationwide strike on Thursday, with hundreds taking to the streets of the capital, to protest against the recent arrest of two of their colleagues, one of…

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Tunisia-Libya border crossing remains closed

Tunisia and Libya have kept a major border crossing at Ras Jdir closed due to armed clashes Libya's interior ministry said in a statement this week that "outlaws" had attacked…

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Tunisia court sentences ex-president Marzouki to 8 years in absentia

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, (Reuters) - A Tunisian court sentenced former President Moncef Marzouki to eight years in prison in absentia on charges of assaulting the state security and inciting…

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Tunisia opposition leader Ghannouchi begins hunger strike in prison

Imprisoned Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi went on hunger strike on Monday in solidarity with other anti-government figures waging a protest fast to demand their immediate release, a team of…

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Record number of migrants died or went missing off Tunisia in 2023

A record 1,313 migrants were reported to have died or went missing off the Tunisian coast last year, a rights group said, highlighting the worsening migrant crisis in the North…

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Seventeen Tunisians on migrant boat towards Italy missing

TUNIS, Feb 12 (Reuters) - At least seventeen Tunisians who were on a migrant boat heading towards the Italian coast are missing, a Tunisian national guard official said on Monday.…

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Tunisia arrests business owner on suspicion of stealing from state companies

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, (Reuters) - A Tunisian public prosecutor ordered the arrest of one of the country's richest business owners, Marouan Mabrouk, son-in-law of former president Zine El Abidine…

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Tunisian parliament committee proposes bill criminalizing normalization with Israel

TUNIS, (Reuters) - The Freedoms Committee in the Tunisian Parliament approved a draft law criminalizing the normalization of relations with Israel, amid ongoing protests in solidarity with Palestinians in the…

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Tunisia’s foreign debt will rise by 40% in 2024 to $3.9 billion

TUNIS, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Tunisia will pay 12.3 billion dinars ) $3.9 billion (of foreign debts in 2024, an increase of 40% compared with 2023, an official document showed…

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Tunisia rejects EU financial aid, casting doubt on an immigration deal

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday rejected financial support announced by the European Union in September, saying the amount is small and goes against a deal signed three months ago. Saied's move…

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Won’t be border guards for other countries says Tunisia

Tunisia said it would not be the border guards for other countries amid a surge in flows to Italy. "Tunisia cannot under any circumstances act as a border guard for…

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Tunisia extends drinking water quota system, ban on agriculture use

TUNIS, (Reuters) - Tunisia has extended the quota system for drinking water and a ban of use in agriculture until further notice, the agriculture ministry said, in response to a…

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Tunisia detains cartoonist over drawings mocking prime minister

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, (Reuters) - Tunisia's public prosecutor detained the cartoonist Tawfiq Omrane over drawings mocking the prime minister, Omrane's lawyer said, fuelling concern among free speech advocates. Omrane…

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Tunisia intercepts 2,500 migrants, arrests dozens of smugglers in 4 days

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, (Reuters) - The Tunisian coastguard said it had intercepted more than 2,500 migrants and arrested dozens of human smugglers following a major crackdown launched last weekend…

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Tunisia hit by rare nationwide power blackout

TUNIS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Electricity supplies were cut across Tunisia for two hours on Wednesday but the reason for the rare nationwide outage was unclear, residents and the state…

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Tunisia arrests migrants, seizes boats in major people-smuggling crackdown

By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian police supported by planes and anti-terrorism units arrested hundreds of migrants and seized boats in a major crackdown on people smuggling in the…

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Four dead, 21 rescued after migrant ship sinks off Tunisia

TUNIS, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Three children and one woman died and 21 people were rescued after their migrant ship sank off the Tunisian city of Sfax, Faouzi Masmoudi, a…

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Tunisia’s bad economy hits coeliac sufferers with rice shortage

By Latifa Guesmi and Jihed Abidellaoui TUNIS, (Reuters) - For Siwar Derbeli a national rice shortage is not just another inconvenient symptom of Tunisia's stretched national finances but a source…

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Tunisia places senior official in main opposition party under house arrest

TUNIS, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Tunisian authorities placed Abdel Karim Harouni, the senior official in the opposition Ennahda Islamist Party, under house arrest, the country's main opposition coalition said. Harouni…

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Four dead, 51 missing after migrant ship sinks off Tunisian coast

TUNIS, Aug 7 (Reuters) - At least four migrants died and 51 were missing after a migrant ship sank off Tunisia's Kerkennah island, a judicial official told Reuters, adding that…

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Tunisian president names Ahmed Hachani as prime minister, replacing Bouden

TUNIS, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Tunisian President Kais Saied appointed Ahmed Hachani as new prime minister, replacing Najla Bouden, who ended her duties, the Tunisian presidency said early on Wednesday.…

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Tunisia recovers 901 bodies of drowned migrants off its coast this year

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, (Reuters) - The Tunisian coast guard recovered 901 bodies of drowned migrants off its coast from Jan. 1 to July 20 this year, the country's interior…

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Tunisia migration deal a model for others, EU’s von der Leyen says

The European Union's pact with Tunisia can serve as a model for other countries, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday, as the EU struggles to stem unauthorised flows of migrants…

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Tunisia vows not to become ‘reception center’ for returning migrants

Tunisia has said it will not be a “reception centre” for returns of sub-Saharan migrants from Italy or any other country in Europe despite a groundbreaking €1bn deal signed on…

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Tunisia moves hundreds of migrants from desolate border area

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia has moved hundreds of migrants to shelters in two towns, a local rights group said, after criticism of conditions in a desolate Sahara military area on…

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Tunisian killed in clashes with migrants after days of tension in coastal city

TUNIS (Reuters) - A Tunisian man was killed in clashes between residents and sub-Saharan African migrants in the southern city of Sfax, a judicial official said on Tuesday, following days…

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UPDATED: Tunisia is working with IMF on ‘fair’ economic reform programme-cbank governor

TUNIS, June 23 (Reuters) - Tunisia is working with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a "fair" economic reform programme that takes account of vulnerable groups, the central bank governor…

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Two dead, 30 injured in train accident in Tunisia -Radio Tunisienne

(Reuters) - A train accident in Tunisia has left two people dead and 30 others injured, state radio reported on Wednesday. The accident took place late on Tuesday, when a…

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Tunisia tourist revival a rare bright spot for crisis-hit economy

Government official forecasts strong summer Arrivals seen at 90% of pre-pandemic levels Small boost for economy in crisis By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia is set for a strong…

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UPDATED: EU considering major Tunisia aid package as migration surges

TUNIS, June 11 (Reuters) - The European Union is considering over 1 billion euros ($1.07 billion) in aid for Tunisia to help develop its battered economy, rescue state finances and…

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President says Tunisia won’t become Europe’s border guard

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Saturday that Tunisia would not accept becoming a border guard for other countries ahead of a planned visit by European leaders…

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Italy, Netherlands and EU leaders to visit Tunisia hoping for IMF deal

By Angelo Amante ROME (Reuters) - The prime ministers of Italy and the Netherlands will travel at the weekend to Tunisia along with the European Commission president, looking to make…

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Tunisia’s foreign reserves fall to lowest level in four years

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, June 8 (Reuters) - Tunisia's foreign currency reserves have dropped to levels worth just 91 days of imports, their lowest in four years, central bank figures showed on…

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Tunisian president suggests taxing rich as solution to fiscal problem

TUNIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Tunisian President Kais Saied on Saturday suggested raising taxes on richer people could be an alternative to socially painful reforms as a means to secure an international…

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North Africa backslides toward swirling debt troubles

Tunisia and Egypt's economic strains have mounted this year FX and bond markets have been turbulent Tunisia's reserves are low while Egypt has mass of debt payments By Marc Jones…

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Tunisia facing unprecedented migration crisis as bodies wash ashore

By Tarek Amara Unprecedented number of migrants leaving Tunisia Violent confrontations at sea between migrants and Coastguards Hundreds of bodies wash up on shore, filling morgues SFAX, Tunisia (Reuters) -…

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Tunisia’s tourism revenues jump 60.3% in 2023 – Central Bank

(Reuters) - Tourism revenues in Tunisia reached 1.18 billion dinars ($389 million), as of April 20, 2023, up 60.3%, compared with the same period of 2022, according to Tunisia's state…

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Tunisia morgues running out of space

TUNIS (Reuters) Tunisia said its morgues are running out of space and authorities are struggling to contain a surge in crossings. Coastguards have pulled the bodies of at least 70…

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Italy touts money for reforms as EU discusses upheaval in Tunisia

Italy offered Tunisia a prospect of money in exchange for economic and political reforms as European Union foreign ministers discussed on Monday how to respond to growing instability in a…

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Italy touts money for reforms as EU discusses upheaval in Tunisia

By Gabriela Baczynska and John Irish BRUSSELS/PARIS, April 24 (Reuters) - Italy offered Tunisia a prospect of money in exchange for economic and political reforms as European Union foreign ministers…

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With AI drones and data, Tunisia’s start-ups battle water crisis

Tunisia is suffering fourth consecutive year of drought Tech entrepreneurs build tools to help struggling farmers Water experts say country must do more to tackle drivers By Menna A. Farouk…

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UPDATED: Tunisian judge orders jail for Ennahda party leader Ghannouchi

By Tarek Amara TUNIS, April 20 (Reuters) - A Tunisian investigative judge ordered on Thursday the imprisonment of Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of main opposition party Ennahda and a prominent…

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Turkey, Tunisia banks most at risk from tighter financing conditions – S&P Global

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - Tighter global financing conditions are putting pressure on emerging market banking systems, with those in Turkey and Tunisia most at risk, ratings agency S&P Global…

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