Tunisian government end restrictions on opposition member Monsef al-Marzouki

The Tunisian authorities decided to lift the restrictions imposed on the travel movement of opposition member Monsef al-Marzouki. El-Marzouki is the current head of the national council for liberties and is the former head of the human right association.

The Tunisian government banned al-Marzouki form traveling in 1996 for being accused of forming an unlicensed organization.

Mohammed Ali Khalf Allah, the general coordinator of the opposition socialist democratic movement said that the Tunisian government also lifted restrictions on the opposition member Mohammed Mowada who is one of the movement's founders.

Al-Marzouki said "I was illegally banned from travel for more than 3 years and my passport was taken since 1996 and there were several trials against me due to founding the 'national council for liberties' as they considered it an illegal organization and now after 4 years I am free to travel."

He added "I believe that this change is due to that the authority faced a criticism for violating human rights which (has weakened it and therefore) it had to revise its policy."