Tunisia: protest against societal reforms

More than one thousand people demonstrated in eastern Tunisia on Friday, to protest against societal reforms recently proposed by a presidential commission.

Protesters gathered in the center of Sfax at the call of religious associations and representatives of civil society. They marched through the city under police surveillance.

The Commission for Individual Freedoms and Equality, set up by President Béji Caïd Essebsi, on June 8 had proposed reforms, regarding equal inheritance and decriminalizing homosexuality.

“Tunisian women refuse equality between the sexes in inheritance according to a study by Dr. Abdellatif al-Harmassi. This is because succession is an integral entity based on several foundations. I wouldn’t go into details, but Tunisian women refuse equality between men and women in inheritance”, said protester, Taysir Boudabbous.

Mohamed Mednin is a member of the al-Khataba association.

“We call for this report to be revoked because it flouts the provisions of Sharia law and the provisions of the constitution. This is our most important demand”, Mednin said.

The Commission set up by the authorities was mandated to bring Tunisian laws in line with the values enshrined in the 2014 Constitution, adopted after the 2011 revolution. Authorities say the approach “is not contrary to the values of Islam.

Human rights campaigners have welcomed these societal reforms.

AFP