AhlulBayt News Agency

source : AFP
Tuesday

10 May 2011

7:30:00 PM
240952

600 protesters arrested in Tunisia

At least 600 people have been arrested during the past five days of protests in Tunisia as post-revolution unrest continues in the North African country.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Tunisian Interior Ministry said on Tuesday evening that the detainees had committed offenses such as theft, arson, possession of weapons, and breach of a curfew that had been imposed to quell protests.

Demonstrations initially held over soaring living costs and unemployment developed into anti-government protests in January that brought down former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had been in power for 23 years.

Since then, the Tunisian people have continued holding demonstrations, demanding a clean sweep of the old guard from the interim government.

Protests broke out last Thursday after former Interior Minister Farhat Rajhi said that the cronies of Ben Ali were contemplating a military coup to block the rise of Islamist parties in the run-up to elections in July.

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