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Tunisian footballer set imsef on fire to protest 'police injustice'

85205320 Mourners express dia anger during Friday funeral of Nizar Issaoui

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 Source: BBC

Tunisian footballer Nizar Issaoui don die from burns wey im gbab from protest against "police injustice" wia im set imsef on fire, im family tok.

Im bin don appear inside one video im post online wey show am dey shout say officers don accuse am of aft aim get gbege wit one fruit seller.

For one separate post, e tok say im sentence imself to "death by fire".

Kasal burst for di funeral of di 35-year-old on Friday for im home town of Haffouz, local media report am.

Police officers bin accuse Issaoui of terrorism by police officers afta im complain say im no fit buy bananas for less than 10 dinars ($3.30; £2.66) per kilogram, double di price wey goment set, reports tok am.

For one Facebook post, di footballer write am say: "Sake of gbege wit pesin wey dey sell bananas for 10 dinars, dem accuse me of terrorism for di police station. Terrorism say I complain about bananas... I no get more energy. Let di police state know say di sentence go dey executed today."

In protest, Issaoui burn imself to death.

Violence start for di footballer funeral as demonstrators throway stones at police wey fire tear gas.

Im be former player for di Tunisian top-flight side US Monastir and na papa of four.

Im brother tell local reporters say Issauoi suffer third-degree burns and doctors no fit save im life.

Im action na echo of one 2010 protest wen street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set imself on fire. E start a wave of demonstrations wey lead to di overthrow of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali di following year.

Di current President, Kais Saied, spark controversy for 2021 wen im sack di prime minister and suspend parliament. Im don since push through new constitution enshrine im dominance.

Di Tunisian goment neva comment on Issaoui death.

Source: BBC