'He is a sultan, not a president,' he said of Saied.
Hammami, a leftist political leader, was repeatedly imprisoned and tortured from 1972 until the 2011 revolution that brought democracy to Tunisia - a moment he experienced from inside an Interior Ministry cell hearing the crowd roar outside.
While Tunisians have embraced the rights they won in 2011, they have suffered from economic decline, corruption and political in-fighting. There has been no widespread crackdown on dissent, banning of press or mass arrests of Saied's opponents, but rights groups have concerns. After a month of solitary confinement, torture and execution threats, including being thrown into an open grave with soil flung onto his body, he was released onto the streets of the capital.
Though Bourguiba later publicly acknowledged that Hammami had been tortured, the persecution continued after Ben Ali seized power in 1987 as he spent years alternately in prison or in hiding, constantly changing his appearance and location. The revolution began a new phase of his life. His wife, human rights lawyer Radhia Nasraoui, was feted by foreign countries and he was offered positions in the new democratic governments.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hundreds protest Tunisian referendumTUNIS (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Tunis on Saturday to demonstrate against a referendum to be held on Monday on a new constitution that they reject as illegal.
Read more »
Political scientist downplays Tok Mat's proposal for a new Malaysia AgreementKUCHING, July 23 — A political scientist today said he will not take seriously a proposal by Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan for a new Malaysia Agreement to...
Read more »
Zimbabwe braces for new gold coin as hedge against inflationHARARE, July 24 — Zimbabwe will next week introduce a gold coin aimed at battling a resurgence in inflation and easing the public&039;s thirst for US dollars. The 22-carat...
Read more »
UK's Tories vaunt diversity in race for next PMLONDON, July 22 — A political party whose membership skews white and male will decide in the coming weeks between an ethnic Indian and a woman to be its new leader, and hence...
Read more »
Greenback shrugs off dismal US data to edge higherNEW YORK, July 23 — The US dollar shrugged off early weakness to edge higher against a basket of currencies yesterday, after data showed US business activity shrank for the first...
Read more »
Orban urges new EU strategy on Ukraine, says sanctions have failedBUDAPEST, July 23 ― The European Union needs a new strategy on the war in Ukraine as sanctions against Moscow have not worked, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on...
Read more »