Tunisia renews state of emergency for 3 months

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki on Friday ordered the extension of the state of emergency for further three months starting Sunday. The decision was taken after consultations with outgoing Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali and Constituent Assembly President Mustapha Ben Jaafar, a presidential statement said. The state of emergency has been in force across the north African country since a popular uprising toppled longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Since then, it has been renewed regularly either on a one-month basis or for three months at a time. The latest extension was decreed on February 1, and the new one will run until June 3. The country has been embroiled in a political crisis since the assassination of leftist opposition figure Chokri Belaid, which sparked wide protests and clashes between protesters and police. Interior Minister Ali Larayedh was tasked with forming a new government after Jebali resigned his post following his failure to reach an agreement to forge a non-partisan government.