Tunisia: State of emergency extended to February

The Tunisian government has extended the state of emergency for another two months and reinstated it throughout the country following the November 24 suicide attack on a bus carrying presidential security guards that killed 12 people.

President Beji Caid Essebsi extended the state of emergency “until February 21, 2016”.

The emergency measure which gave more powers to the security forces was expected to have expired on Wednesday, 30 days after it came into effect. It allowed authorities to ban strikes and meetings “likely to cause or maintain disorder”.

The mandate extended to closing “theaters and drinking places” temporarily and to “take all measures to ensure control of the press and publications of any kind “.

The security forces have stepped up raids and arrests of hundreds since the bloody attack in the heart of Tunis was claimed by the Islamic State.