150 More People Including Opposition Leaders Arrested in Tunisia Unrest

The Tunisian government has arrested 150 more people, including local opposition leaders, amid ongoing unrest due to rising prices and taxes. The government has deployed military forces in cities and unrest-prone areas, while political activists are calling for continued protests in the coming days. According to Reuters, protests in Tunisia, which have sometimes turned violent, escalated on Monday following the death of a protester. Demonstrators have set fire to dozens of government buildings, prompting the government to deploy military forces in several cities in response. Activists and opposition politicians have called for protests to continue in the capital on Friday and Sunday, which marks the seventh anniversary of the overthrow of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's regime. On Thursday, unrest and scattered clashes occurred in Siliana in the north, Sidi Bouzid in central Tunisia, and the city of Douz in the south. A spokesperson for the Tunisian Ministry of Interior stated that "protests have decreased and there have been no casualties or destruction. Police arrested 150 individuals who participated in the riots last night, bringing the total number of arrests to 778." He added that 16 of the detainees are radical Islamists. A judicial source also reported that three local leaders of the Tunisian Popular Front, the main opposition force, were arrested in the city of Qafsa on charges of setting fire to government buildings. The Popular Front stated that its leaders have been targeted in a political campaign reminiscent of Ben Ali's regime. According to the party, several of its members have also been arrested in other parts of Tunisia. Reuters noted that the recent protests and unrest are in response to rising prices and taxes included in the government's new budget, which took effect on January 1. The Tunisian government has accused opposition groups and "rioters" of organizing these protests, but opposition groups deny these accusations. The government has stated it will not back down from austerity measures implemented to satisfy foreign lenders. The prices of fuel and some consumer goods, as well as taxes on mobile phones, cars, the internet, and other items, have increased. It seems that Tunisia has little room to reduce austerity measures. The International Monetary Fund has stated that Tunisia is committed to taking decisive actions to reform the country's economic situation before reviewing subsequent loan payments. Last year, the IMF reached an agreement with the Tunisian government for a $2.8 billion loan over four years, conditional on implementing economic reforms in the country. In the 2018 budget, taxes on imports of several goods have also increased, and the government is trying to reduce its current expenses by encouraging civil servants to take voluntary retirement. Despite many experts considering Tunisia the only successful democratic example in the so-called Arab Spring, since the overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's regime, nine governments have been formed in the country, none of which have been able to solve Tunisia's deep economic problems.