About Tunisia
official name: Republic of Tunisia capital: Tunis head of state: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali state: multi party population: 10,276,158 (July 2007 est.) 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.
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.
Communications
main lines in use: 1.258 million (2005) cellular telephones: 5.681 million (2005) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 428 (2006) Internet users: 953,800 (2005)
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
Articles:
rights: stick in hand, tunisia talks freedom
by Mask Admin 21/2/2005
February 21, 2005: London - The media freedom group Reporters Without Borders has declared it "ridiculous" that the second phase of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) should be held in Tunisia later this year.
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