Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is encountering public anger in Tunisia over the killing of writer Jamal Khashoggi.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Tunis on Monday night to protest the prince's arrival Tuesday for talks with the Tunisian president.
President Beji Caid Essebsi's office said Tunisia denounces the journalist's killing and wants a full investigation, but doesn't want the killing to be used to destabilize Saudi Arabia.
Amid suspicions of the prince's involvement in Khashoggi's death, a Tunisian lawyer's group tried to seek a court order blocking his visit. The Tunisian journalists' union sent a letter to the president calling it an "attack on the principles" of the 2011 revolution that brought democracy and freedom of expression to Tunisia.
Though the Saudi Royal Court did not name other countries that the crown prince is due to visit, he is also expected to visit Algeria and Mauritania.
Bin Salman had already visited the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as part of his tour.
Hundreds of demonstrators swarmed the central Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis.
Protesters held banners reading slogans including "Tunisia is not for sale", "the people want to expel bin Salman" and others against alleged normalization with Israel. Flags of Tunisia, Algeria Mauritania, Egypt and Palestine were raised during the protest.
While Saudi Arabia has blamed the Oct. 2 killing of Khashoggi on a rogue hit squad, weeks of shifting explanations aroused suspicions. A CIA assessment earlier this month implicated bin Salman in the slaying.
After initially saying he had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later that he was killed there.
Tunisia was the birthplace of the "Arab Spring" uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa in early 2011 which overthrew the regime of authoritarian ruler Zein Al Abidine Ben Ali.
After fleeing Tunisia amid heightened protests against his rule, Ben Ali went to Saudi Arabia, where he currently resides.
The crown prince heads to a Group of 20 summit in Argentina this week amid international pressure over the killing.
