Tunisian security forces resorted to lethal force on Wednesday to disperse a sit-in staged by leaders of the opposition Free Destourian Party outside the headquarters of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, sparking criticism over the government’s mishandling of the situation.
Opposition parties called on the government to resign, blaming it for assaulting the protesting MPs and wounding some of them.
Abir Moussa, head of the party, has organized the sit-in with a number of supporters in an attempt to terminate the Union’s activities.
For months now, Moussa has been accusing Union officials of supporting terrorism and organizing ideological courses that promote violence and extremism and serve radical religious currents.
Tension and chaos prevailed between protesters and some of the Union members, who refused to leave the headquarters and urged authorities and the prime minister to intervene.
Moussa published a video footage on the party’s official page showing the security forces’ use of violence and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Commenting on the incident, Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi said the Public Prosecution is the only body authorized to enforce the law in light of the curfew and the state of emergency in Tunisia.
Any accusation against the government is this regard is “baseless,” Mechichi stressed, noting that all actions taken are within the law, which is applied equally on all parties.
Meanwhile, Coordinator of the opposition Soumoud Coalition Houssem Hammi accused the government of supporting what he described as "a global terrorist organization."
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the security forces’ use of violence comes in line with a “systematic campaign carried out by the current government to end the opposition movements and protect the ruling parties.”
By pursuing a policy of double standards, the government is failing to perform its primary role of protecting rights and freedoms after it proved its failure in managing the state institutions, he stressed.
In this context, Hammi demanded the government’s resignation, saying that it has become a hurdle in the path of democratic transition.
