Topless Femen activists target Tunisian premier during Brussels visit Eds: epa …

our dpa-correspondent and Europe Online

Brussels (dpa) - Topless activists from the feminist group Femen
protested Tuesday against the detention of their colleagues in
Tunisia by jumping on the car of the country‘s new prime minister
during his visit to Brussels.

Three European Femen activists have been jailed for public
indecency in Tunisia. The Brussels protest came one day before their
appeal was to resume in Tunis.

The protest saw three topless women - covered with slogans such as
"Free Marguerite" and "Free Josephine" - attack the black BMW
carrying Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh as he made his way to an
appointment with EU President Herman Van Rompuy.

Security guards pulled the women off the car and held them back to
allow Laarayedh‘s convoy to proceed.

Just before, the premier had met with European Commission
President Jose Manuel Barroso, who urged him to carry on his
country‘s democratic transition, including through the drafting of a
new constitution and the holding of elections.

"Progress towards full and in-depth democracy requires daily and
permanent work," Barroso said.

"The EU will continue to accompany the Tunisian transition and
will stay at the sides of all actors in the process of
democratization," Van Rompuy later added.

Neither man specifically mentioned the jailing of the Femen
activists - which had prompted European criticism earlier this month
- although Van Rompuy said that the EU was keen to support judicial
reforms that guarantee "fairness and the freedom of expression."

Laarayedh acknowledged the EU‘s concerns and thanked the bloc for
its continued support.
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Author: Alexandra Mayer-Hohdahl

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