Taïeb Mhiri Explained

Taïeb Mhiri (الطيب المهيري) (or Taïeb Mehiri) (25 July 1924  - 29 June 1965)^[1] was a Tunisian politician.

Biography

Coming from a family of the Tunisian bourgeoisie attached to Destour, he first studied at Sadiki College. Having lost his father at a very young age, he was taken in by his grandfather. Known as a player in the Esperance Sportif de Tunis football team, he lived in the Bab Souika district, in Bab Laqwas.

He served as the interior minister from 1956 until his death in 1965.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Mhiri oversaw the destruction of the Husainid Dynasty palace in La Marsa and other similar monuments.^[5]

He was buried in Jellaz Cemetery. The sports stadium, Stade Taïeb Mhiri in Sfax, is named after him, as well as the street, Avenue Taieb Mhiri, in Tunis.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Il y a 51 ans disparaissait Taïeb Méhiri, le premier ministre de l'Intérieur de l'indépendance .
2. Zartman, I William. Man, state, and society in the contemporary Maghrib, p. 272 (1973)
3. LaCouture, Jean. (6 June 1965). Bourguiba: Portrait of a Nonconformist; Bourguiba: Portrait of a Nonconformist, The New York Times (describing Mehiri as the "irremovable Minister of the Interior for nearly 10 years" but suffering from a grave illness)
4. (20 June 2009). Tunisie: Commémoration du décès du militant Taïeb M'hiri, La Presse de Tunisie (in French) (paywall)
5. McLachlan, Ann & Keith. Tunisia Handbook with Libya, p. 83 (1997) ("chiefly remembered for piloting the demolition of the summer palace of La Marsa and many other monuments symbolizing the Husseinite Dynasty")