Tunisia condemns murder of one of its nationals in France
Tunisia strongly condemns the killing of a Tunisian citizen in Puget-sur-Argens, France, urging stronger protections for its community abroad.
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A French Police member stands at the crime scene where a French man murdered his Tunisian neighbor in Puget-sur-Argens, southeastern France, June 2, 2025. (AFP)
Tunisia has condemned the killing of one of its citizens in southern France, where the victim was fatally shot by a neighbor. French authorities have labeled the crime a terrorist racist act and emphasized that the perpetrator will face the maximum penalties under the law.
In a statement published on Tuesday, Tunisian authorities said that Tunisian Interior Minister Khaled al-Nouri conveyed to his French counterpart his strong condemnation of this treacherous terrorist act, which has sparked profound grief and public outrage across Tunisia.
Tunisia emphasized the importance of ensuring adequate protection and security for its community in France, calling for a proactive approach to prevent such inhumane crimes and to stop them from happening again. Nouri emphasized that such atrocious crimes are often fueled by hate speech and bigotry.
For his part, the French minister denounced the attack as a terrorist act rooted in racism. He reiterated France's firm stance against any actions that might sow discord within French society, the Tunisian statement noted.
He emphasized that the perpetrator would face the maximum punishment under French law, noting that such criminal acts are completely alien to both French societal values and the principles of the French Republic.
On Monday, France's anti-terror prosecutor assumed control of the investigation into Saturday's attack in Puget-sur-Argens, a town in southeastern France.
According to AFP, the suspect, a 51-year-old man, is currently in police custody. Authorities found multiple weapons in his vehicle, including automatic pistols and a rifle, as confirmed by the public prosecutor in Draguignan, southeastern France.
Early Sunday, the suspect, a French national, posted two racist video messages, both before and after shooting the victim, a 43-year-old man born in 1979. A source close to the investigation told the news agency that the suspect intended to "disturb public order through terrorist means."