A Tunisian man sewed his mouth
up with needle and thread and is camping out in a sleeping bag
outside his country's consulate in Genoa to protest authorities'
refusal to issue a replacement passport, which he needs in order
to stay legally in Italy and claim asylum.
Bologna-based Slah Ayadi, 32, lost a passport issued in
2011, according to the Repubblica Genoa newspaper. He and his
wife, who is of Moroccan origin but born in Italy, applied for a
duplicate passport for him before he also requested political
asylum.
Authorities gave him several temporary permits to stay but
in November his permit was not renewed. He is therefore classed
as illegal even though he got married in Italy and has an
identity card issued by Bologna town hall.
The couple told Italian media they were trying to get
another permit for Ayadi to stay but he needed a passport to do
so. The consulate has said it will do all it can but has advised
him to return to Bologna.
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