Tunisia: Ennahdha "responsible for police assaults against women"?
The lawyer for a young woman who was raped by two policemen argues that the Tunisian government is "morally and politically responsible police assaults against women." His client is accused of "gross indecency" and has meanwhile expressed her astonishment to find herself in the dock with her attackers.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Tunisia-Ennahdh...
Bouchra Belhaj Hmida said: "The Tunisian government dominated by Islamist Ennahdha is morally and politically responsible police assaults against women," the lawyer said a young woman was raped by two policemen at the beginning of the month.
If "police violence is not organized," she continued, "the discourse of the party [Ennahdha] vis-à-vis women paved the way. (...) Since October 23, 2011 [and the Islamists came to power], there are many cases of sexual harassment, moral and financial support from the cops. When they see a modern woman, a Tunisian woman, they expect to be able to hold accountable and women who are then convicted, "she was indignant.
"Position immoral"
In Tunisia, the scandal is huge. Although the three officers involved in the attack - an agent that held the fiancé of the victim and his two colleagues, who violated - have been imprisoned, the young woman and her friend are also pursued by the Tunisian justice, for molestation and assault. Wednesday, September 26, several NGOs have denounced the rape case and its legal extensions in a statement. The Interior Ministry says the couple, who faces six months in jail, was caught in a car in an "immoral position" by the security forces, just before the rape.
A confrontation between the victim and the rapists took place on Wednesday.Bouchra argues that exchanges are "well past", without elaborating further, citing the confidentiality of the investigation. On 2 October, the couple was again summoned before the judge, to be heard.
"I thought I was the victim, not the accused."
In addition, the victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, recounted her rape, which was be accompanied by an attempt to extort money from her fiancé, the Tunisian newspaper Al Chourouk reported.
"I never thought I would be called to court as an accused. I thought I was the victim, not the accused, "she was indignant. "I'm not going to give up [my complaint] after being humiliated in this way, however, assured the young woman.
She also denies being found in a compromising position with her boyfriend in their car when police stormed: "It is not true, when they came, I was dressed," says she said.
Daily harassment
Several NGOs have denounced the behaviour of the police towards women who are regularly harassed for their clothes or in their nightlife since the Islamist Ennahda came to power nearly a year ago. For its part, the Ministry of Interior attempts to minimize these attacks and ensures that it is only isolated cases.
These cases concern the feminists. Tunisians enjoyed the status of the modern Arab world since the enactment of the Personal Status Code (CSP) in 1956, under Bourguiba. this text was very progressive, it included gender equality in many areas and proclaimed the prohibition of polygamy and repudiation.
Ennahdha proposed for inclusion in the new Constitution the term “complementarity” of women instead of equality. However, given the broad protest movement caused by this initiative, the Islamist party has backtracked, leaving the final draft unchanged withdrawing the amendment on September 24.
If "police violence is not organized," she continued, "the discourse of the party [Ennahdha] vis-à-vis women paved the way. (...) Since October 23, 2011 [and the Islamists came to power], there are many cases of sexual harassment, moral and financial support from the cops. When they see a modern woman, a Tunisian woman, they expect to be able to hold accountable and women who are then convicted, "she was indignant.
"Position immoral"
In Tunisia, the scandal is huge. Although the three officers involved in the attack - an agent that held the fiancé of the victim and his two colleagues, who violated - have been imprisoned, the young woman and her friend are also pursued by the Tunisian justice, for molestation and assault. Wednesday, September 26, several NGOs have denounced the rape case and its legal extensions in a statement. The Interior Ministry says the couple, who faces six months in jail, was caught in a car in an "immoral position" by the security forces, just before the rape.
A confrontation between the victim and the rapists took place on Wednesday.Bouchra argues that exchanges are "well past", without elaborating further, citing the confidentiality of the investigation. On 2 October, the couple was again summoned before the judge, to be heard.
"I thought I was the victim, not the accused."
In addition, the victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, recounted her rape, which was be accompanied by an attempt to extort money from her fiancé, the Tunisian newspaper Al Chourouk reported.
"I never thought I would be called to court as an accused. I thought I was the victim, not the accused, "she was indignant. "I'm not going to give up [my complaint] after being humiliated in this way, however, assured the young woman.
She also denies being found in a compromising position with her boyfriend in their car when police stormed: "It is not true, when they came, I was dressed," says she said.
Daily harassment
Several NGOs have denounced the behaviour of the police towards women who are regularly harassed for their clothes or in their nightlife since the Islamist Ennahda came to power nearly a year ago. For its part, the Ministry of Interior attempts to minimize these attacks and ensures that it is only isolated cases.
These cases concern the feminists. Tunisians enjoyed the status of the modern Arab world since the enactment of the Personal Status Code (CSP) in 1956, under Bourguiba. this text was very progressive, it included gender equality in many areas and proclaimed the prohibition of polygamy and repudiation.
Ennahdha proposed for inclusion in the new Constitution the term “complementarity” of women instead of equality. However, given the broad protest movement caused by this initiative, the Islamist party has backtracked, leaving the final draft unchanged withdrawing the amendment on September 24.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Tunisia-Ennahdh...