Tunisians Protest Against Amnesty For Corruption

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Hundreds of Tunisians have demonstrated against a controversial draft law on amnesty for corruption offences, defying a ban on protests under state of emergency. The draft law on economic reconciliation is a centrepiece of the new government’s programme and seeks to boost the economy by clearing cases against businessmen and civil servants accused of corruption. Aljazeera reports:

Opponents to the law, however, see it as an attempt to whitewash the crimes of the old regime and ignore an ongoing process of transitional justice through the Truth and Dignity committee. The demonstrators on Saturday included supporters of the leftist Popular Front coalition, members of a citizen’s group called “No, we will not forgive” set up after the bill was announced. “No to reconciliation that whitewashes corruption,” said one placard protesters brandished on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, hub of the revolution that ended a 23-year dictatorship in 2011.

“The people own the street – not afraid and not terrorised,” demonstrators chanted during the peaceful protest. Authorities have kept the key avenue in the capital closed to traffic for several days because of what they call “terrorist threats”. There was a large security presence there on Saturday, with many police and National Guard officers, both in uniform and plain-clothed.

In July, President Beji Caid Essebsi presented the draft “economic and financial reconciliation” bill to the cabinet. He has called on parliament to adopt the law pardoning people charged with or convicted of financial corruption if they confess and return any money obtained. The draft law has many critics in both political parties and civil society.