about tunisia

official name: Republic of Tunisia
capital: Tunis
head of state: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
state: multi party
population: 9,7 million
independence: from France in 1956
languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
religion: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
currency: Tunisian dinar (TND)
media: NA

legal wise

status of homosexuality: illegal
age of consent: 20
laws covering homosexual activity: Article 230 [of the Penal Code of 1913 (largely modified in 1964)] decrees imprisonment of up to three years for sodomy between consenting adults. (Arno Schmitt and Jehoeda Sofer - "Sexuality and Eroticism Among Males in Moslem Societies") ILGA

The Pink Book states that Article 230 covers both women and men.

transgender rights
December 22, 1993: The Appeal Court of Tunis dismissed the request of a transsexual to change his civil status. More...

background information and government attitudes:
one gay man is known to have been granted asylum in 1996/7 by the US (GLAS). Voted against granting ILGA consultative status at the UN in January 2002.

communication

main lines in use: 654,000 (1997)
cellular telephones: 50,000 (1998).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998).
Radios: 2.06 million (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995).
Televisions: 920,000 (1997).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000).
Internet users: 400,000 (2002).

links and contacts

Kelma: Paris based, French language site on/for Arab gays from Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. http://www.kelma.org
Gay Tunisia: French language (some English) Le club de contactes gay Tunisia:
www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/caf�/7425

rights: stick in hand, tunisia talks freedom