About 100 Tunisian Islamist hardliners held a peaceful demonstration in central Tunis on Tuesday against a visit to the country by UN Secretary-General General Ban Ki-moon.
“Ban Ki-moon, Go home!”, “Ban Ki-moon, Valet of Zionism,” called out the demonstrators, who were on the street at the behest of the Islamist movement Hizb At-Tahrir.
This movement on March 10 handed in a request to be legalised in order to form a political party, but the demand was rejected by the new interim authorities who have come to power since the popular uprising in January that ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
The UN chief arrived in Tunisia on Monday night to meet the country's transitional authorities, after making a detour via Europe to avoid the conflict zone in neighbouring Libya.
During his one-day visit, Ban is due notably to meet interim President Foued Mebazaa and interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, as well as members of the high commission responsible for drawing up a new electoral code for Tunisians to vote for a constituent assembly on July 24. -
Sapa-AFP