Tunisian President Kais Saied has extended the nationwide state of emergency for an additional 11 months, keeping it in force until Dec. 31, 2026, according to a decree published Friday in the country’s Official Gazette.
Tunisia has been under a continuous state of emergency since 2015, following a deadly attack that targeted a bus carrying members of the presidential guard in the capital, Tunis.
The bombing killed 12 security personnel and wounded 17 others.
Under the state of emergency, the Interior Ministry is granted exceptional powers, including the authority to ban public gatherings, impose curfews, conduct searches of businesses, and monitor the press, publications, radio broadcasts, and cultural performances.
These measures can be enforced without prior judicial authorization.
The state of emergency was first declared in November 2015 in response to the attack, which marked one of the deadliest incidents targeting Tunisia’s security forces at the time.
Since then, the measure has been repeatedly renewed for varying periods.
Following the 2011 uprising and during subsequent years marked by political instability, Tunisia experienced a wave of attacks carried out by extremist groups.
These assaults resulted in the deaths of dozens of police officers, foreign tourists, and civilians.
In recent years, Tunisian authorities have reported progress in counterterrorism efforts, including the arrest or killing of several prominent leaders of extremist organizations.
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