Tunis, Jan 24 (IANS) Several hundred demonstrators took to the streets of Tunisia’s capital Tunis to demand the release of the arrested protesters, leading to confrontations with security forces.
At Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the demonstrators on Saturday chanted slogans calling for the release of the protesters arrested during the ongoing night protests in many provinces and denouncing deteriorating socio-economic conditions in the North African country, reports Xinhua news agency.
Under the main slogan “No to oppression, No to marginalization”, a number of party leaders including Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party Hama Hammami, opposition parliamentarians and civil society activists participated in the march.
The Tunisian security forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the demonstrators and prevent them from gathering in front of the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior.
Tunisia imposed a general lockdown to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic from January 14 to 17, which prompted clashes between displeased young people and the security forces at night, with acts of looting, vandalism and theft reported in several regions.
The country has reported more than 193,000 coronavirus cases and 6,092 deaths.
–IANS
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