Global Courant 2023-04-15 00:48:02
Nizar Issaoui, 35, said the reason for his protest was that he was falsely accused of ‘terrorism’ in the village of Haffouz.
A professional footballer in Tunisia has died after setting himself on fire earlier this week in protest of “police injustice,” his family said.
Tunisian footballer Nizar Issaoui, 35, suffered third-degree burns and was taken to Tunis Burns Hospital, but doctors were unable to save his life, his brother said on Friday.
“He died yesterday (Thursday) and will be buried today.”
Issaoui, a former player of US top team Monastir and father of four, posted a video on Facebook saying the reason for his protest was falsely accused of “terrorism” in the village of Haffouz, Kairouan, central Tunisia. .
Issaoui was a free agent at the time of his death following a career that saw him play for a range of clubs from the lower divisions to the top flight.
Issaoui’s protest was reminiscent of that of street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi, who burned himself to death on December 17, 2010, sparking the Tunisian revolution that sparked the Arab Spring uprisings that toppled authoritarian leaders in the Middle East.
News of Issaoui’s death sparked protests in the streets of Haffouz, Tunisian media reported. Young protesters threw stones at the police, who responded with tear gas.
Issaoui decided to protest against the police after officers accused him of terrorism when he complained that he could not buy bananas for less than 10 dinars ($3.30) per kilogram, double the price set by the government.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has said Tunisia is experiencing its worst crisis in a generation, with inflation hovering around 11 percent and food becoming increasingly scarce.
The Tunisian government is negotiating a $1.9 billion loan deal with the International Monetary Fund. The country’s budget deficit was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In a Facebook post shortly before his fatal action, Issaoui said: “For a dispute with someone who sells bananas for 10 dinars, I am charged with terrorism at the police station. Terrorism for a complaint about bananas.”
He also said that he had sentenced himself to “death by fire”.
“I have no more energy. Let the police state know that the verdict will be carried out today,” he wrote.
