Tunisia's Mufti urges protesters not to respond to subversive calls

Tunisia's Mufti Othman Battikh on Friday urged protesters to keep calm and not to respond to "those who call for sedition and chaos," as the country has been witnessing protests and rioting over jobs and economic conditions.

"It is the right of jobless, especially those who hold higher education certificates, to be employed, live decently and to have their voices heard by officials," the Mufti said, stressing this should be done with "responsibility and in line with the constitution and law."

He also called on demonstrators not to give a chance to infiltrators to carry out their plots to kill and sabotage.

Protests over youth unemployment have spread from the northern region of Kasserine to other Tunisian towns and cities.

More than a third of young people in Tunisia are unemployed, with 62% of graduates without work.

Unemployment has worsened since the 2011 revolution, when President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted.

Source: MENA