Tunisia extends state of emergency

Tunisian President Kais Saied has extended the state of emergency in the country for another month beginning Jan. 1, 2020.

The Tunisian presidency made this known in a statement on Monday.

“The decision was made after consultations with outgoing Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, who is running the government affairs and President of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People Rached Ghannouchi,” the presidency said.

The state of emergency in Tunisia was first declared on Nov. 24, 2015, following a bloody bomb attack on a bus of the presidential guards, killing 12 agents.

Tunisian emergency law allows the authorities exceptional powers, including carrying out home arrests, banning official meetings, imposing curfews, monitoring media and press, prohibiting assemblies, and media censorship without permission from the judiciary.