Tunisia Amnesties Thousands on Anniversary of Ben Ali’s Ouster

Tunisia Saturday granted an amnesty or conditional release from prison to 9,000 detainees to mark the first anniversary of the fall of despot Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, officials said.

"On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Tunisian revolution the justice ministry has announced that 9,000 detainees will be pardoned or benefit from a conditional release," the justice ministry said in a statement.

The amnesty on what is now a public holiday in Tunisia had been expected and will include Tunisian and foreign prisoners.

Capital punishment of another 122 detainees will be converted to life imprisonment.

The death penalty remains on the books in the north African country but is no longer applied.

Meanwhile, thousands of Tunisians turned out in central Tunis to demand jobs and dignity as the north African country marked Ben Ali’s collapse.

"Work, freedom and dignity", "Work is a right,” and "we will continue the fight,” were among the slogans chanted by demonstrators brandishing banners on the avenue which was the epicenter of the popular uprising that gave birth to the Arab Spring.

"We made this revolution against the dictatorship to impose our right to a dignified life and not to help certain opportunists realize their political ambitions," 33-year-old Salem Zitouni told Agence France Presse

Other demonstrators, wearing the red and white of the national flag, called for recognition of the "martyrs" killed during the weeks of unrest before Ben Ali was toppled.