LGBT rights in Tunisia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| LGBT rights in Tunisia | |
|---|---|
 Tunisia |
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| Same-sex sexual activity legal? | Illegal |
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Penalty:
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Up to 3 years imprisonment |
| Gender identity/expression | - |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Tunisia face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Tunisia.
Contents |
[edit] Laws against homosexuality
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] Gender identity/expression
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][dead link]
[edit] Living conditions
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.[3] 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.[4]
The Tunisian government tightly censors the internet and in addition to blocking sites containing political opposition, Tunisia also filters pornography and gay-related content.[5][6]
At least one gay man is known to have been granted asylum in the United States in 1997.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Behind The Mask website: Tunisia
- ^ http://www.ilga.info/Information/Legal_survey/africa/tunisia.htm
- ^ Human Rights Watch, "In a Time of Torture: The Assault on Justice In Egypt’s Crackdown on Homosexual Conduct", March 2004, ISBN 1564322963
- ^ Tunisia Sex Guide at gayegypt.com
- ^ OpenNet Initiative, "Internet Filtering in Tunisia in 2005: A Country Study"
- ^ BBC News, "Tunisian internet crackdown", 18 Feb 2003
