Tunisia: LGBT activist’s assault by police seen as a pattern

 | 
12/09/2021

TUNIS, Tunisia — A prominent LGBTQ activist in Tunisia has reported that two men, one dressed in police uniform, threw him to the ground, beat and kicked him during an assault they said was punishment for his “insulting” attempts to file complaints against officers for previous mistreatment. “This was not the first time that I had been attacked by a policeman, but I was really surprised. The attack was horrifying,” Badr Baabou, president of the Tunisian Association for Justice and Equality, or Damj, said. “They aimed for my head… at a moment they stood on my neck. This was very symbolic for me, as if they wanted to reduce me to silence.” The Oct. 21 attack in Tunisia’s capital left Baabou with welts and bruises on his face and body. He said that neck trauma caused difficulty breathing, and that his assailants took his laptop, phone and wallet. Police have not publicly commented on Baabou’s account, although his lawyer says an internal police investigation is underway. Police violence is among the myriad challenges that LGBTQ people experience in Tunisia. Observers say officers who can dispense beatings with impunity are becoming increasingly brazen. Homosexual activity in the North African country remains a criminal offense punishable by up to three years in prison.

Regions: ,

Share this:

Latest Global News

Added on: 12/08/2023
12/07/2023
The first openly two-spirit Miss Eeyou Eenou Iskwaau (MEEI) in northern Quebec says they didn’t feel welcome to attend a regional pageant to crown …
Added on: 12/08/2023
12/07/2023
BUCHAREST — When a mayor of a small Romanian town casually mentioned in an interview that she had voted in favor of a referendum that sought …
Added on: 12/08/2023
12/07/2023
Last week, Russia’s highest court deemed what it called the “international LGBT movement” to be an extremist organisation and banned its activities in the …

Explore LGBTQ+ Issues

Other News from ,

Added on: 12/07/2023
KAMPALA, Dec 6 (Reuters) – Uganda’s government on Wednesday denounced the United States’ expansion of visa restrictions against its officials, accusing Washington of pushing …
Added on: 12/07/2023
When a clip of two men dancing at a party in Ethiopia was posted to TikTok, it unleashed a torrent of homophobic hatred and …
Added on: 12/06/2023
In a historic development, South Africa’s Parliament has passed the amended version of the Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill. It will now go …