LGBT rights in Tunisia
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The practice of homosexuality is illegal in Tunisia as it is considered to be a threat to social order.
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[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 woman to change her legal status from male to female. The judgement ruled that her 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 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 nearby Libya, Egypt and Sudan, countries where accused homosexuals are routinely arrested. [6] Both gay and straight sex workers are numerous in the country and are harassed by the police. In the capital Tunis, Avenue Bourguiba is a known gay cruising spot. [7]
[edit] References
- ^ Tunisia
- ^ http://www.ilga.info/Information/Legal_survey/africa/tunisia.htm
- ^ President Bush Discusses War on Terrorism with Tunisian President
- ^ ONI Blog | OpenNet Initiative
- ^ BBC NEWS | Africa | Tunisian internet crackdown
- ^ In a Time of Torture: The Assault on Justice In Egypt’s Crackdown on Homosexual Conduct (Human Rights Watch Report, March 2004)
- ^ Tunisia Sex Guide -
Gay And Straight
[edit] External links
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