Tunisian police bans a demonstration against Sharon's visit

Once again, the Tunisian police banned an opposition demonstration in protest of inviting the Israeli prime minister Arial Sharon to visit Tunis in order to take part in the world summit for the information society in November this year.

A large security force including police men and riot fighting units on Friday were deployed on the outskirts of the municipal theatre in the downtown of the capital where the demonstrators were intending to demonstrate.

The intensive deployment of the police men and shielded cars were the only sign for the organization of the demonstration, as the security presence resulted in isolating the participants in the demonstration from each other and prevented the formation of the coalition near the headquarters of the Progressive Democratic Party which called for the demonstration.

Member of the party Maya Jureibi said that it is a real besiege case, adding that a group of participants in the demonstration, including the leader of the party, were maltreated.

A statement by the organizers of the demonstration said that the authorities have taken what it described as illegal oppressive measures aiming at silencing the Tunisians and preventing them from their right to demonstrate, peacefully.

A group of demonstrators succeeded on March 4 in gathering to express protest over the visit of Sharon despite an official ban. Confrontations took place that resulted in injuring 6 persons including female lawyer Radia al-Nasrwai.

Five political parties, three unlicensed and two societies active in defending freedoms are taking part in the gathering organized to demonstrate under the against the visit of Sharon at the people's level in Tunisia.