Protest leader arrested in Tunisia
TUNIS (AFP) — The leader of a Tunisian social protest movement that has staged demonstrations since the start of the year was arrested on Sunday, his colleagues and officials said.
Adnane Hajji, spokesman for the movement, was arrested along with an unknown number of colleagues on Sunday at Redeyef in the Gafsa mining region, around 350 kilometres (217 miles) southwest of Tunis, said Adel Jayar, one of the movement's organisers.
Jayar was not able to give the exact circumstances of the arrests but an official source confirmed to AFP that Hajji had been detained.
The source added that an inquiry had allegedly implicated Hajji in unrest at Redeyef during which a young protester was shot dead in a clash with security forces on June 6.
Redeyef is home to the oldest phosphate mine and the main base for the movement which is protesting against unemployment, the rise in the cost of living and corruption.
After the protester's death, the government said the security forces acted lawfully. They said the situation spiralled out of control when police attacked a group of individuals who were making Molotov cocktails after some were thrown at security forces.
