Tunisian authorities stop TV broadcast: Channel

The private Nessma television channel on Thursday said it had been forced to stop broadcasting on the orders of Tunisia's Communications Authority.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Nessma officials said that security forces had stormed its Tunis headquarters on Thursday morning and cut the network's transmission.

"Network staff are now surrounded by security forces," according to the Facebook post.

Neither the communications authority nor the Tunisian Interior Ministry has yet to issue a statement in response to the TV channel's assertions.

In January, the communications authority had accused Nessma of having committed "serious violations" and "operating outside the law".

The nature of these alleged "violations", however, remains unclear.