Tunisia, Africa

Around forty percent of Tunisia is composed of the Sahara desert, with much of the remainder consisting of particularly fertile soil and a 1300 km coastline. Both played a prominent role in ancient times, first with the famous Phoenician city of Carthage, then as the Africa Province which became known as the bread basket of the Roman Empire, and then as the Maghreb region of various medieval Islamic states. Tunisia ranks high among Arab and African nations in reports released by The World Economic Forum. The Tunisian Penal Code decrees imprisonment of up to three years for sodomy between consenting adults. The Tunisian government tightly censors the internet and in addition to blocking sites containing political opposition. Tunisia also filters pornography and gay-related content. Yet despite harassment and occasional imprisonment gays have a degree of freedom compared to nearby Libya, Egypt and Sudan. Also see: Islam and Homosexuality

 

 

‘Fake gay’ man accused of ripping up Korans in Tunisia

LGBT campaigners in Tunisia claim a man accused of desecrating the Koran in Tunisia is a pawn used by radical Muslims to discredit gays and secularists A Tunisian man has been exposed on the internet claiming to be gay and to be responsible for ripping up copies of the Muslim holy book, the Koran. The… Read more »

Tunisian gay magazine hacked

Yesterday, homophobic hackers attacked Tunisia’s main LGBT title, Gayday Magazine, taking over its email, Twitter and Facebook accounts. This comes after several previous attacks which hacked Gmail, Twitter and the main site, renaming account titles to ‘Garbage Day Magazine’. These attacks take place at the height of an international campaign of which Gayday Magazine is… Read more »

Former diplomat contests Tunisian leader on gay rights

A former top Tunisian diplomat has sent an unprecedented open letter to Rashid Ghannouchi, founder and spiritual leader of the Islamist Ennahda party that now rules post-revolutionary Tunisia, about the direction the country is going. Farhat Othaman is a researcher and author. He was a senior diplomat who was unfairly dismissed by the administration of… Read more »

Ex diplomat quizzes Tunisian leader on gay rights

Farhat Othman questions spiritual leader Rashid Ghannouchi over new Tunisia’s commitment to human and LGBT rights A former top Tunisian diplomat has sent an unprecedented open letter to Rashid Ghannouchi, founder and spiritual leader of the Islamist Ennahda party that now rules post-revolutionary Tunisia, about the direction the country is going. Farhat Othman is a… Read more »

Tunisian health ministry denounces female genital mutilation

In response to recent controversial comments by visiting Egyptian cleric Wajdi Ghonim, the Tunisian Ministry of Health on Wednesday (February 15th) issued a statement against the practice of female genital mutilation, Tunisia Live reported. The ministry also urged doctors to refuse to administer the treatment if requested. The group “Kolna Tunis” on Tuesday lodged a… Read more »

Tunisian journalists arrested over naked picture

Tunisian authorities on Wednesday (February 15th) arrested the director of Tunisian newspaper Ettounsia, as well as an editor and reporter, for publishing a picture of Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira and his partially-nude girlfriend, AFP reported. “Really, this is laughable,” a staff member of the Arabic-language daily said. “This photo has gone around the world… Read more »

Tunisian human rights minister: No free speech for gays

Tunisia’s human rights minister has attacked an online gay magazine while being interviewed by homophobic TV presenter Samir El-Wafi. Minister Samir Dilou said ‘freedom of expression has its limits’ and agreed homosexuality was a ‘perversion’ which needed to be ‘treated medically’. The attack on Gayday magazine, whose editor has faced religiously inspired hatred and death… Read more »

Tunisia Faces a Balancing Act of Democracy and Religion

Tunis — The insults were furious. “Infidel!” and “Apostate!” the religious protesters shouted at the two men who had come to the courthouse to show their support for a television director on trial on charges of blasphemy. Fists, then a head butt followed. When the scuffle ended a few minutes later, Tunisia, which much of… Read more »

Gay Tunisians speak out

The socio-political upheaval Tunisia has undergone since the revolution has led many Tunisians to question their place within this new society – Tunisia’s often undiscussed LGBT community is no exception to this uncertainty. While the fall of Ben Ali has afforded a greater space to free expression, not all Tunisian LGBT people are convinced things… Read more »

Tunisian Interior Minister in a gay sex video scandal

Tunisia’s new interior minister, Ali Larayedh, has been embroiled in controversy and scandal as a leaked video allegedly shows him in a gay prison sex video. This scandal has outraged and inflamed public opinion regarding homosexuality which was already jittery due to the electoral political tactics that used sexuality in order to discredit various opponents.… Read more »

Is life for gay people in Tunisia better since the revolution?

The revolution in Tunisia has brought with it many changes. Under the old regime, for example, being homosexual had always been a problem. So one year on from the fall of former president Ben Ali, RFI talked to a number of gay people in Tunisia, to see if things have changed for them. by Marine… Read more »

Gay Tunisia News & Reports 2011

Links & Comments: Wikipedia: Article 230 of the Penal Code of 1913 (largely modified in 1964) decrees imprisonment of up to three years for sodomy between consenting adults…The Tunisian government tightly censors the internet and in addition to blocking sites containing political opposition; Tunisia also filters pornography and gay-related content. Gay Tunisia forum Gay Tunisian… Read more »

Gay Tunisia News & Reports 2006-10

Links & Comments: Wikipedia: Article 230 of the Penal Code of 1913 (largely modified in 1964) decrees imprisonment of up to three years for sodomy between consenting adults…The Tunisian government tightly censors the internet and in addition to blocking sites containing political opposition; Tunisia also filters pornography and gay-related content. Gay Tunisia forum Gay Tunisian… Read more »