Thousands of people have protested in Tunisia after the deadly shooting of opposition figure Mohammed Brahmi. It is the 2nd killing of a leading opposition politician to take place in the country this year.
On Thursday, thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate around Tunis. Outside the hospital where Brahmi was taken a crowd that included his daughter, Belkaeis , mourned the politician's killing. Protesters in the region also set fire to Ennahda offices while the powerful UGTT labor confederation called for a general strike on Friday.
The Popular Movement Party confirmed his death. Brahmi was in a car outside his home outside of Tunis when gunmen fired several shots at him, Interior Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Aroui said. Local media said he was shot 11 times. The 58-year-old politician held a seat in the assembly tasked with writing Tunisia's new constitution.
Brahmi's death comes a little over 6 months after another secular politician, Chokri Belaid, was assassinated. Belaid's party and family blamed the ruling Islamist Ennahda party for his death, which triggered nationwide protests and the resignation of the prime minister. The political crisis nearly derailed the country's transition following the overthrow of longtime strongman Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.
0 comments:
Post a Comment