Tunisian President Kais Saied has announced the extension of the state of emergency throughout Tunisia for an additional month, the official Journal of the Republic of Tunisia reported on Friday. Initially set to expire on January 1, 2024, the state of emergency will now remain in effect until January 30, 2024.
Implemented for the first time on November 24, 2015, following a deadly bus bombing that killed 12 presidential guards, the state of emergency grants Tunisian authorities broad powers. These include the ability to ban public gatherings, censor media outlets, and enforce curfews, among other measures.
The extension of the state of emergency is not new to Tunisia. Since its declaration in 2015, the Tunisian government has consistently renewed this measure. President Saied’s decision to extend it until the end of January 2024 marks one of the longest periods of the state of emergency since its inception.