Tunisians struggle with police brutality in the workplace | Middle East News
Violent protests come after a highly publicized video showing police stripping and beating the boy last week.
Violence has erupted in Tunisia’s capital as hundreds of young people have marched on protests against police brutality in the area after the death of a man in police custody.
Opponents were seen throwing sticks, chairs and water bottles at security forces who were firing tear gas and closing several people in the Sidi Hassine area outside Tunis.
Saturday’s violence followed three consecutive nights of protests after the boy was killed in “suspicious areas” in his area, according to the Tunisian Human Rights Commission (LTDH).
The man died Tuesday after being arrested by police on suspicion of drug trafficking, according to local reporters.
Earlier on Saturday, left-wing activists and residents of several working districts staged a protest in front of the interior ministry against the death of the couple, who criticized the police.
In his remarks, the LTDH condemned the violence experienced by citizens in the fight against the police “to end the protests”, criticizing Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi – who is also a longtime housing minister.
Mechichi denied this.
What happened today in tunis #Tunisia
The picture is @DonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/AAbc85kBxf– Amayed aymen (@AmayedAymen) June 12, 2021
Saturday’s protests also voiced past grievances following the death of 19-year-old Club Africain assistant Omar Laabidi in 2018.
Among the exhibitors were the mothers of three teenagers who died three years ago in custody. They say they are campaigning for justice for their children.
Laabidi’s mother says she is still waiting for her son to be honored.
Authorities are investigating another case, which came to light after a video of a man in what appeared to be a plainclothes police officer beating a naked child came to light.
Police officers involved in the incident were arrested, while the Prime Minister said this was shocking and unacceptable.
The same thing happened in the Sidi Hassine district.
In the wake of threats of police brutality & harassment of Sidi Hassine staff in recent days, some have been posting the photo, a stamp denouncing the seal of the State of Tunisian: “No Order, No Freedom, No Justice” https://t.co/EtgaEykH7Q
– Fadil Aliriza (@FadilAliriza) June 11, 2021
Ten years after the change took place by long-time ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisian security forces have not seen any real change.
Supervisors are usually not prosecuted for harassment.
The Tunisian Human Rights Commission said Thursday that incidents such as those in Sidi Hassine could undermine “trust in the government and its agencies”.
