Tunisia Extends State Of Emergency Through January 2013

Tunisia has extended the North African country’s state of emergency until the end of January 2013, in a move that gives Tunisian police and army special powers of intervention.

“[Tunisian President Moncef] Marzouki decided Wednesday to extend the state of emergency by three months from November 1, 2012,” Tunisia’s official TAP news agency reported, adding that the extension was proposed by the country’s military and security officials.

The state of emergency, which was put in place following a revolution that led to the ouster of Tunisia’s fugitive dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011, had been extended on a monthly basis since July.

However, the latest three-month extension is likely to raise fears of a worsening security situation in the country that has been hit by a series of attacks in recent weeks.

Presstv