Tunisian blogger Sofiane Shurabi, an outspoken critic of deposed president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was arrested Sunday for publically drinking alcohol during Ramadan with two friends.Lawyer Anis Ezzine said Shurabi and a friend were taken into custody on the beach at El Mansoura on Sunday morning for "being drunk in a public place, disturbance of the peace and unacceptable behaviour."
Ezzine said they could face up to seven months in prison.
Khaled Tarouch, a spokesman for Tunisia's Interior ministry, said a young woman was arrested with them and that all three had admitted the charges. He said, "They admitted it. After consultation with the ministry, the three were detained for unacceptable behaviour and drinking alcohol in public."
Earlier, Shurabi made a post on his Facebook page saying that he had been arrested.
Leila Ben Debba, another lawyer, said,"I do not exclude that his arrest was linked to his appeal on Facebook to demonstrate tonight" against the government's policies.
A appeal for a protest in central Tunis is spreading on the Internet, despite an interior ministry warning that such a assemblage has not been authorised.