Case Against Tunisian Police Officer is Dismissed

CAIRO -- A Tunisian court on Tuesday dismissed the case against a policewoman accused of slapping the Tunisian street vendor whose subsequent self-immolation set off a wave of revolts across Tunisia and the Arab world, Tunisia’s official news agency, TAP, reported.

The street vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, 26, set himself on fire after a confrontation with the police officer, Fedia Hamdi, who had confiscated his fruit and slapped him in the face, according to other vendors who witnessed the incident in December. Mr. Bouazizi’s act of desperation fueled public outrage and led to a month-long uprising that finally toppled the authoritarian president, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, and forced him to flee the country on Jan. 14. It also turned Mr. Bouazizi into a symbol of defiance against state oppression and systematic police violations, which inspired similar acts of self-immolation in Egypt, Algeria and Mauritania.

According to the Tunisian news agency, Mr. Bouazizi’s mother “withdrew her complaint, ” and Ms. Hamdi denied the charges. The court’s ruling comes at a time of uncertainty for Tunisia as the new government investigates accusations of corruption and the excessive use of force against protesters.