The murder of a prominent Tunisian opposition leader sparks protests across the country. CNN's Jonathan Mann reports. Would you like to know more? Tunisians head abroad to perform jihad (AP, Feb 13, 2013) http://bigstory.ap.org/article/tunisians-head-abroad-perform-jihad "The cradle of the Arab Spring is increasingly looking like the birthplace of jihadists ... Though no one knows for sure just how many Tunisian fighters have traveled abroad, evidence suggests it remains one of the top exporters of jihadists per capita. Tunisians have turned up on the battlefields of Iraq, Syria, Libya and now Mali. The 32-man militant strike team that seized a gas plant in Algeria and took dozens of foreign workers hostage was more than one-third Tunisian..." Vocal critic of Islamist-led government gunned down in Tunisia http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/06/world/meast/tunisia-opposition-leader-killed/index.html "Opposition leader Chokri Belaid routinely received death threats for his outspoken criticism of Tunisia's Islamist-led government. He talked about the bullying on his frequent television appearances. He said he didn't really fear for his life. On Wednesday morning, a gunman shot and killed Belaid in front of his home as he was leaving for work, according to an eyewitness. Belaid's political allies and even his Islamist opponents are decrying the murder as an assassination." Tunisia: Local Professor Accuses Imams of Promoting Jihad (allafrica, Jan 21, 2013): "A top Tunisian academic is accusing religious leaders of supporting extremism, Tunisie Numerique reported on Monday (January 21st). Alaya Alani, a professor of contemporary history at Manouba University, told Radio Tataouine that imams in mosques were encouraging Tunisian youths to participate in jihad in Mali and Syria. He urged the government to put an end to this "indoctrination"." Who will win battle for the new Tunisia? http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/11/world/meast/tunisia-salafists-artists-battle/index.html "When artist Nadia Jelassi exhibited work in Tunis last year, she hoped the piece would prove a talking point. But when ultra-conservative Salafist Muslims took an interest in her installation at a spring arts festival in Tunisia's capital, the reaction was much stronger than she bargained for. Deeming a number of artworks in the exhibition heretical, Islamist extremists vandalized the gallery, issued death threats to Jelassi and fellow exhibitors, and rioted in the streets in some of the most serious unrest since the 2011 revolution. Along with fellow artist Mohamed Ben Slama, she now faces charges of harming public order and morals through her work -- charges that could see them sentenced to up to five years in prison if convicted ... The clash highlights growing tensions between liberal and religious forces over the limits on free speech, as they jostle to define the identity of the new Tunisia following the ouster of dictator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011 ... Tunisia's interim government says it is against censoring art -- but that a red line exists when it comes to blasphemy. A proposal has been tabled to criminalize blasphemy in Tunisia's new constitution, due later this year. "Even in the most modern societies, there are limits -- whether it's security or religious," Culture Minister Mehdi Mabrouk told CNN. "In order to protect freedoms, we need to set these limits."" Tunisia: leaked video belies Ghannouchi's moderate image http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/politics/2012/10/11/Tunisia-leaked-video-belies-Ghannouchi-moderate-image_7614341.html "Leaked video and audio recordings of Sheikh Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of Tunisia's ruling Ennahda party, are causing the moderate Islamist politician a headache.Leaked yesterday on Facebook, possibly by Salafist sources, the video allegedly shows Ghannouchi in a meeting with two Salafist leaders, in which he decries secular control of Tunisian media, economy and police ... ''The rule of law is based on power and not on the Constitution,'' Ghannouchi allegedly said. ''We must instil the Islamic spirit in the people. We must take the time to educate our youth, to spread a global Islamic consciousness. That is when the people themselves will demand sharia law.''" Tunisian rape victim accused of 'public indecency' http://magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2012/09/27/newsbrief-06 "A Tunisian woman appeared in court on Wednesday (September 26th) to answer charges of "indecency" filed by the police officers convicted of her rape. According to interior ministry spokesman Khaled Tarrouche, three Tunis policemen found the 27-year-old woman and her boyfriend inside a car on September 3rd in an "immoral position".Two policemen raped the young woman, while the third restrained the young man. The officers were convicted and jailed for the crimes."

• published: 06 Feb 2013
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