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/café/7425
Articles:
 les lesbiennes du maghreb et du moyen orient mettent au défi l’homophobie dans les régions islamisées.
by Abeli Zahabu 7/4/2008
Maghreb – 07 Avril 2008 : Pour la première fois, les lesbiennes originaires du Maghreb et du Moyen Orient vivant à Montréal s’organisent pour lutter contre la lesbophobie et promouvoir les droits des Lesbiennes, Bisexuelles, Transsexuelles et Transgenres (LBTT) dans leurs pays d’origine.
lesbians to challenge homophobic muslim region
by Mask Admin 3/4/2008
AFRICA ABROAD – April 3, 2008: For the first time in history, lesbian women abroad in Canada have organised themselves to fight for the lesbian, bisexuals, transgender and transsexual (LBTT) rights for the Magrheb (Sahara) region.
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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