Tunisians Decry MBS’ Planned Visit: You’re Not Welcome

Local Editor

Tunisian politicians and civil society groups expressed their rejection of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's [MBS] upcoming visit to Tunisia.

The visit is part of his first tour abroad since the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul, which has widely been blamed on him.

MBS arrived in Abu Dhabi late on Thursday, and is due to visit other countries in the region, including Bahrain and Egypt, where he will be warmly received by allied leaders who have stood firmly by his side amid international outrage over the Khashoggi affair.

According to Tunisian activist and former leader of the al-Irada party Tarek Kahlawi, hundreds of people are expected to gather in front of the presidential palace in Carthage, in conjunction with the crown prince's arrival.

"It is a shame that Tunisia, which has witnessed a democratic transition and a revolution against tyranny and dictatorship, will receive a criminal whose hands were stained with the blood of Saudis and Yemenis."

For his part, Emad Al-Daimi, the leader of the People's Movement party, warned Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in a Facebook post of the consequences of "committing a mistake by allowing bin Salman to desecrate the soil of Tunisia."

A team of Tunisian lawyers said they would file a lawsuit, commissioned by bloggers and journalists who are demanding a ban on the visit.

In an open letter addressed to Essebsi, the Tunisian press syndicate said the aim of MBS' visit to Tunisia was to "whitewash his bloody record because of his involvement in human rights violations".

Intelligence officials and analysts say the operation to kill Khashoggi, who wrote critically of the crown prince for The Washington Post, could not have happened without Prince Mohammed's knowledge. The kingdom denies the crown prince was involved.

The letter described MBS as a threat to security and peace in the region and the world, in addition to being a true enemy of freedom of expression.

"The blood of Khashoggi is not yet cold, and the murderer [Mohammed] Bin Salman is not welcome in the country of Tunisia," Tunisian Journalists Syndicate president Naji Baghouri said in a blog post on Facebook.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team