Tunisia releases 1,420 prisoners over coronavirus

Tunisia's President Kais Saied on Tuesday ordered the release of 1,420 prisoners in an amnesty to combat the spread of the coronavirus in prisons, a presidency statement said.

Tunisia has declared a general lockdown to slow infection rates, and has confirmed 362 cases of the coronavirus, with nine deaths. The government said in a separate statement that it would provide food assistance to thousands of families in their homes, starting Friday, for a period of about two months.

Saied last week ordered the army to deploy in the streets to force people to respect the lockdown.