TUNIS // About 50 Islamist demonstrators were arrested yesterday for trying to attack the offices of a TV channel that had shown a controversial movie.
The film, Persepolis, is based on Marjane Satrapi's graphic novels about growing up during and after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.
The attackers consider it hostile to their religious convictions, said Nabil Karoui, head of the Nessma private TV channel.
The film, shown on Friday, won the jury prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
The assault is the latest in a rise in attacks against perceived symbols of secularism by hard-core Muslims in Tunisia ahead of this month's election.
Once suppressed by the former regime, conservative Muslims are increasingly making themselves heard in the country's politics.
A spokesman for the interior ministry, Hichem Meddeb, said police blocked the attackers before they could reach the offices of Nessma, in the centre of Tunis, and arrested about 50 of them.
Mr Meddeb said there were also injuries, without specifying how many, and emphasised "authorities' determination to oppose troublemakers".
"These extremists want to impose a new dictatorship," said Mr Karoui. "We are a channel for liberty, modernism and democracy. We will not back down and will continue to follow our independent editorial line."
Tunisians are set to hold landmark elections for a constitutional assembly in just two weeks after overthrowing their long-serving dictator in January. The ensuing nine months have been filled with demonstrations as well as the rise of a new ultraconservative group of Muslims that had kept a low profile under the largely secular regime of the former president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Salafists, as the conservatives are known, attacked a cinema showing a film they deemed insulting to Islam in June and just last week a university dean said his campus was also attacked.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
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