Police and demonstrators clash in Tunisia following the death of a man

Police clash with mourners in Tunisia   -  
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AFP

Mourners in Tunisia clashed with security forces on Friday (14 October) after a man died from injuries sustained during a police chase several weeks earlier.

Demonstrators threw stones at security forces after the funeral of Malek Sellimi in the working-class neighbourhood of Upper Omran on the edges of Tunis.

The 24 year-old had fallen into a ditch and suffered a neck injury while he was being chased by police in late August.

He was taken to hospital and remained in intensive care for seven weeks before he died.

Relatives have called for an enquiry to ensure justice for Sellimi's death.

Since the 2011 revolution which led to the downfall of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, security forces in the country are often accused of using excessive force.

The Tunisian Human Rights League says 14 men have been killed in recent years in incidents involving the police and claim officials rarely face justice.

And human rights campaigners say since President Kais Saied took over in a power grab last July, the authorities have increasingly used heavy-handed measures similar to those used by ousted former leader, Ben Ali.  

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