Gay rights in Tunisia

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The practice of homosexuality is illegal in Tunisia and no gay rights exist.

Contents 1 Penal Code 2 Position of the government 3 Gay life in Tunisia 4 External links

[edit] Penal Code

Article 230 of the Penal Code of 1913 (largely modified in 1964) decrees imprisonment of up to three years for sodomy between consenting adults. [1]

[edit] Position of the government

In 1993, the Appeal Court of Tunis dismissed a request by a transsexual to change his status from male to female. The judgement ruled that his sex change was a "voluntary" and "artificial" operation and could not justify a civil status change. [2]

At least one gay man was known to have been granted asylum in the United States in 1997.

In February of 2004, Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was present at a White House press conference where US president George Bush condemned gay marriages being performed at the time in San Francisco. [3]

The Tunisian government tightly censors the internet and in addition to blocking sites containing political opposition, Tunisia also filters pornography and gay-related content. [4] [5]

[edit] Gay life in Tunisia

While harassment by authorities and imprisonment of homosexuals is far from unknown, gays have a degree of freedom compared to other Muslim countries such as Libya, Egypt and Sudan which routinely persecutes suspected homosexuals. [6] Both gay and straight sex workers are numerous in the country and are harrassed by the police. In the capital Tunis, Avenue Bourguiba is a known gay cruising spot. [7]

[edit] External links

• Behind The Mask: Tunisia
• Tunisia Sex Guide