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Abdel Rahman Chalgam is a Libyan politician, the former Foreign Minister during the Gaddafi era, and the former Libyan representative at the United Nations Security Council. At first incredulous to accounts of widespread murder perpetrated by Gaddafi’s loyalists, he defected from the regime on February 24th, 2011, upon hearing Gaddafi broadcast commands for Libyans to
Mahmoud Jebril was born in 1952 in Benghazi. By training he is a planning expert and a senior politician, he was the director of the executive bureau of the National Transitional Council from March 23, 2011 until he resigned from his position in the National Transitional Council in November 2011. Jebril is known for his prolific
Khalifa Belgassem Hafter is a senior Libyan military official who defected from the Qaddafi regime following the conclusion Libyan-Chadian war. After spending 20 years in exile in the United States, he returned to Libya in March, 2011, to join the uprising against Qaddafi – which had begun on February 17th. In the 1960s, Hafter joined
Fathi Terbel, is a 39 year-old Libyan lawyer and human rights activist. He is currently serving as the Minister of Youth and Sports in Libya’s interim government, and is considered to be one of the most influential figures of Libya’s February 17th revolution. Terbel gained widespread recognition for his legal representation of the relatives of
Labor activist and dissident Adnan Hajji was born on October 25th, 1958 in the town of Redeyef in the southern district of Gafsa. He attended elementary and middle school in his home town. He then moved to Touzeur, where he attended high school. Hajji majored in French literature in college. He attended both 9 Avril
Bechir Zaafouri was born on July 25, 1963 in Sidi Bouzid. Zaafouri holds an MBA in Accounting from IHEC University, (Institut des Hauts Etudes Commerciales de Carthage). Zaafouri is the Chief Executive Officer of a Tunisian chain of wholesale distributors and malls. Zaafouri is the Minister Delegate of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts. Zaafouri
Hussein Abassi was born on August 19th, 1947 in Sbeikha, Kairaouan. Abassi began his career as a teacher, and later became the dean of students in a high school. In 1983, Abassi became a member of the General Union for Deans of Students before becoming a member of the regional union in Kairaouan. In 2002
Rafik Haj Kassem was the Interior Minister during Ben Ali’s government. He was nominated to hold this position on November 10th, 2004, and was considered to be one of the most loyal figures to Ben Ali and his regime. He was an active member of the Constitutional Democratic Rally’s (RCD) political bureau. Haj Kassem was
Ridha Saidi was born on November 24th, 1962, in Menzel Bourguiba, a city in Bizerte. Saidi was recently nominated to serve as the Deputy Minister of Economy in charge of economic affairs in Tunisia’s new interim government. Saidi received an engineering degree from the National School of Engineering in Tunis (ENIT), and also has a
Lotfi Zitoun was born on August 13, 1964 in Tunis. Zitoun currently serves as an adviser to the newly appointed Tunisian Prime Minister, Hamadi Jebali. Zitoun is also a prominent media figure and researcher specializing in political science and history. He is married to Monjia Abidi and is the father of three sons and two daughters. Zitoun
Middle East Media Monitor to Host Free London Discussion With Ennahda Women Leadership
The London based, Palestinian media research and advocacy organization MEMO (Middle East Monitor) will be hosting a discussion with Ennahda women leaders Mehrezia Labidi, Amel Azzouz and Jawhara Ettees at the Brunei Gallery Lecture Theater of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London on Friday, March 23rd. The discussion will start at 6:30PM, attendance is free
Tunisian Female U-17 Team Faces Gambia in Run-Up to 2012 FIFA World Cup
Tunisia’s national female U-17 football team is facing off against Gambia today. A lot is at stake in today’s showdown between the two teams, who have never played each other before and are both vying for a spot in the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan. The victor will automatically earn a berth
Former Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi Charged with Torture
Two additional cases of torture have been levied against former interim government Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, in addition to an already ongoing case. The cases involve repression of the followers of Salah Ben Youssef – a rival of former president Habib Bourguiba – during Essebsi’s time as Minister of the Interior and Director of National Security under
Canadian Government Pressured to Reveal Information on Ben Ali Clan’s Assets
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has come under increasing pressure, from government opposition as well as from civil society, to reveal more information concerning the assets of Ben Ali and Trabelsi family members frozen in the country. Following a formal written request for information from opposition MP Hélène Laverdière, Baird released some figures pertaining
