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Tunisian Judge Imprisons Two Detained Politicians, a Businessman

Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a statement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination, during a European Union - African Union summit, in Brussels, Belgium February 18, 2022. (Reuters)
Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a statement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination, during a European Union - African Union summit, in Brussels, Belgium February 18, 2022. (Reuters)
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Tunisian Judge Imprisons Two Detained Politicians, a Businessman

Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a statement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination, during a European Union - African Union summit, in Brussels, Belgium February 18, 2022. (Reuters)
Tunisia's President Kais Saied gives a statement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination, during a European Union - African Union summit, in Brussels, Belgium February 18, 2022. (Reuters)

A Tunisian anti-terrorism investigative judge decided on Saturday to imprison two prominent politicians and a high-profile businessman who had been detained in a recent security crackdown, their defense team said.

The defense team for Abd El Hamid Jlassi and Kyham Turki, both critics of President Kais Saied, and businessman Kamel Ltaif said it had boycotted a plea hearing because the conditions for a fair trial had not been met.

In recent weeks, Tunisian police have arrested more than 12 people including opposition politicians, activists, protest organizers and a media figure, as well as an influential business leader and two judges.

Police on Friday arrested Ghazi Chaouachi, the prominent critic of Saied, Ghazi's son said.

About 20 policemen searched the house and arrested Ghazi, his son Elyess said.

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Italy's ITA Airways Resumes Flights to Libya's Tripoli after 10-year Gap

An Italian carrier Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways) plane takes off at Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
An Italian carrier Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways) plane takes off at Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
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Italy's ITA Airways Resumes Flights to Libya's Tripoli after 10-year Gap

An Italian carrier Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways) plane takes off at Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
An Italian carrier Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways) plane takes off at Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

Italy's ITA Airways resumed direct flights to Libya's Tripoli on Sunday, the first airline from a major west European nation to do so after a 10-year hiatus due to civil war in the north African country, ITA and Tripoli's transport minister said.

ITA said it would operate two direct flights a week from Rome's Fiumicino airport to Tripoli's Mitiga airport, Reuters reported.

“We are proud to inaugurate today our first direct commercial flight between Tripoli and Rome Fiumicino, strengthening commercial and cultural ties between Libya and Italy in support of bilateral relations between the two countries,” Andrea Benassi, ITA airways general manager, said in a statement.

Many international airlines have suspended flights in and out of Libya since the civil war in 2014 that spawned two rival administrations in east and west following the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Some airlines resumed flights to Libya after security was restored when major fighting paused with a ceasefire in 2020. But efforts to end the political crisis have failed, with factions occasionally staging armed clashes and competing for control over economic resources.

The European Union still bans Libyan civil aviation from its airspace

The minister of transport in the government of national unity, Mohamed al-Shahoubi, said the resumption of ITA flights between Tripoli and Rome confirmed "the safety and security of our airspace and the eligibility of Libyan airports".

Shahoubi said at a ceremony marking the arrival of the ITA flight at Mitiga that Tripoli is ready "to grant ITA additional transport rights to connect Libyan airports with other destinations in European Union countries."