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Middle East Eye
2 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Rights groups condemn arrest of LGBTQ+ people in Tunisia
Rights group have denounced the mass arrest of LGBTQ+ people in Tunisia, saying they were subjected to degrading treatment by police officers. At least 14 people have been arrested over the past week, nine in the capital Tunis and five on the southern island of Djerba, according to the Tunisian Association for Justice and Equality (Damj). Many of those arrested were detained after cell phone and body searches, which can often involve intrusive anal examinations. According to Damj, six of those arrested had already been sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to two years. Saif Ayadi, programme officer at Damj, told AFP his group condemned the state's "practices... against gender identities and sexual orientations". New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "We are forced to stay at home, in our private spaces, without displaying our identities," he explained. Over the past year, the North African country has seen an escalating crackdown on LGBTQ+ people. Hate speech targeting LGBTQ+ people has spread across hundreds of social media pages, with popular TV and radio hosts calling for the banning of LGBTQ+ organisations and arrests of activists. Influencers arrested More than 80 people were arrested under Tunisia's anti-homosexuality laws between September 2024 and the end of January 2025. Arrestees were detained and prosecuted under Article 230, which criminalises same-sex relations and carries a sentence of up to three years imprisonment, as well as articles in the penal code that criminalise 'public indecency' or acts deemed to be offensive to 'public morals'. Tunisia: 'Moral values', the new pretext to repress freedoms Read More » Last autumn, at least 10 influencers and content creators, including some residing abroad, were convicted and sentenced to prison terms of up to four-and-a-half years following a statement from the Ministry of Justice announcing prosecutions against anyone 'producing, distributing or publishing images or videos with content that undermines moral values'. The defendants included Instagrammer Lady Samara, known for her frequent outbursts and angry insults at advertising companies, who was arrested for swearing. Choumoukh, a 24-year-old Tiktok star with 200,000 followers, was jailed because of her openness in discussing sexuality during live shows. Khoubaib, a queer content creator who is non-gender conforming, was prosecuted for defying gender norms and wearing make-up. Morality laws have usually been used against members of the LGBTQ+ community, but also couples kissing in public, people eating or smoking during Ramadan, and blasphemous or 'inappropriate' content. However, since President Kais Saied's power grab on 25 July 2021, when he froze parliament and started dismantling the democratic advances made after the revolution, arrests based on these laws have increased and the sentences delivered are much harsher.
Middle East Eye
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Tunisian authorities arrest dozens amid crackdown on LGBTQ+ community
Tunisian authorities have arrested dozens of people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity in the last few months, Amnesty International said on Thursday. Between 26 September 2024 and 31 January 2025, the authorities ramped up their crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community, with 84 people - mostly gay men and trans women - arrested in the cities of Tunis, Hammamet, Sousse and El Kef, according to the Tunisian NGO Damj Association for Justice and Equality. Many of them are now facing arbitrary detention and unfair prosecution. Damj emphasised that the numbers are 'not exhaustive,' as they are based on direct assistance the organisation provides to LGBTQ+ community members, and are likely to be several times higher. 'We estimate the real number to be at least three times higher, because when we used to have access to official numbers of prosecutions a few years ago, we found that on average our documentation only covers at most a third of the people affected,' queer activist and head of programmes at Damj Saif Ayadi told Amnesty. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Arrestees were detained and prosecuted under Article 230, which criminalises same-sex relations and carries a sentence of up to three years imprisonment, as well as articles in the penal code that criminalise 'public indecency' or acts deemed to be offensive to 'public morals'. Deputy regional director for MENA at Amnesty International, Diana Eltahawy, said that the vaguely worded laws 'allow law enforcement to carry out sweeping arrests of individuals simply for failing to adhere to gender norms or having a non-conforming gender appearance or expression'. Furthermore, Amnesty noted that gay men and transgender people in Tunisia are often targeted on the basis of gender stereotypes, behaviour or physical appearance, with prosecutions based on footage and photos unlawfully seized from the detainees' devices during arrest. It added that men accused of engaging in same-sex relations are forced to undergo anal examinations to obtain 'proof', a practice that Amnesty said is tantamount to torture. 'Preserving morality' The wave of arrests followed a homophobic and transphobic online campaign which was unleashed on 13 September. Hate speech targeting LGBTQ+ people spread across hundreds of social media pages, with popular TV and radio hosts calling for the banning of LGBTQ+ organisations and arrests of activists. Tunisia: 'Moral values', the new pretext to repress freedoms Read More » The arrests form part of a broader crackdown targeting activists, journalists and public figures in the name of preserving morality and social values. Last autumn, at least 10 influencers and content creators, including some residing abroad, were convicted and sentenced to prison terms of up to four-and-a-half years following a statement from the Ministry of Justice announcing prosecutions against anyone 'producing, distributing or publishing images or videos with content that undermines moral values'. The defendents included Instagrammer Lady Samara, known for her outspokenness, frequent outbursts and angry insults at advertising companies, who was arrested for swearing. Choumoukh, a 24-year-old Tiktok star with 200,000 followers, was jailed because of her openness in discussing sexuality during live shows. Khoubaib, a queer content creator who is non-gender conforming was prosecuted for defying gender norms and wearing make-up. Upon their appeal on 5 February, four were released following sentence reductions, but Khoubaib, whose jail term was reduced from four years and six months to two years, remains incarcerated. The feminist group Ena Zeda say this is evidence of the crackdown targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
