Tunisia extends its emergency law

The Tunisian president, Moncef Marzouki, has decided to extend the emergency law until July 31. Adnan Monser, the presidential spokesman, said on Friday that after consultations with the head of the National Constituent Assembly, Mustapha Ben Jaafar and the prime minister, Hamadi Jebali, president Moncef Marzouki has issued an extension decree to the emergency law. This step is the sixth of its kind since the emergency law was implemented on January 13, 2011, one day before the fall of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The decree bans gathering in public places and allows army and police forces to open fire on anyone deems suspicious, who refuses to adhere to orders. This step coincides with the affirmation by the Tunisian authorities that the situation in their country is under control, especially national security. The authorities even added that the current situation has encouraged tourism. This is according to a statement issued on Thursday by the ministry of interior, in response to Israel’s warning to its citizens not to travel to Tunisia due to possible terrorist operations against Israelis and Jews. The Tunisian presidency had extended the emergency law for one month in the beginning of April, for what the state called "the existence of threats against nations security".