Tunisia: Sentencing of blogger Amna-Al Sharqi on “undermining religious rituals” is a breach for freedom of expression
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Tunisia: Sentencing of blogger Amna-Al Sharqi on “undermining religious rituals” is a breach for freedom of expression
July 18, 2020, Tunis, Tunisia -- Tunisian blogger Amna Al-Sharqi who posted a clearly satirical blog post called “Surah Corona” was sentenced to six months in prison on charges of inciting interreligious hatred on July 14. She was also fined 2,000 Tunisian dinars ($650) for "undermining religious rituals". The sentence will be appealed by her lawyers. She was summoned for interrogation in early May after receiving death threats and accusations of "desecrating" the Quran.
Amna highlighted that she had not intended to offend anyone or "distort" the Quran, stressing that the verse did not include the words "God" or "religion".
The Coalition For Women In Journalism calls upon Tunisian prosecutors to review this sentence in line with respect for freedom of expression. The Tunisian Constitution of 2014 affirmed Tunisia as a civil state founded on citizenship. Humor and satire are much needed in the global pandemic the world is going through. Religious values used as an instrument to undermine freedom of expression is unacceptable.
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Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at [press@womeninjournalism.org][7]
