Tunisia has banned Emirates airline from landing in its capital Tunis after public outcry of the over security measures in the United Arab Emirates where Tunisian women were prevented from boarding its flights.
Rights groups in Tunisia have condemned the UAE measures as “racist and discriminatory”.
According to the transport ministry, the measure would stay in place until the airline finds the appropriate solution to operate flights “in accordance with international law and agreements”.
The UAE on the other hand through Anwar Gargash, the Emirati foreign minister, say “security information” had caused the delays.
“We contacted our Tunisian brothers about security information that necessitated taking specific procedures,” he said on Twitter.
“We should avoid misleading attempts … We highly value Tunisian women and respect them,” he added, without elaborating.
Tunisia’s government officials say the UAE had banned Tunisian women from flying to or transiting through its territory with local media reporting that a number of them had been blocked from boarding Emirates flights to Dubai over several days.
The AFP news agency reports that some Tunisian women had reported delays of their journeys to the UAE and some that their visas had to undergo additional examination.
On Friday, Tunisia asked the UAE ambassador for clarification on what was happening, the envoy saying the decision was for only a short period and the restrictions had been lifted.
Tunisia has been trying to improve relations with the UAE which were damaged by its 2011 revolution and also after the Islamic party al-Nahda, which has strong links with Qatar, came to power in the north African country.
