2013-06-11 Fråga-svar Tunisien. Situationen för homosexuella. Fråga Vilken ny landinformation finns angående homosexuellas situation i Tunisien? Svar Sammanställning av information: United States Department of State (2013): Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Although consensual same-sex sexual activity is not illegal per se, the penal code of 1964 criminalizes anal intercourse, and convictions carry up to a three-year prison sentence. In a February 4 interview on a talk show, Minister of Human Rights and Transitional Justice Samir Dilou characterized same-sex acts as a "perversion that requires medical treatment" and a western concept incompatible with Islam and national culture. Anecdotal evidence suggested lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals faced discrimination, and there were allegations police officers sometimes harassed openly gay persons and accused them of spreading HIV/AIDS. Human rights activists also alleged security force members continued to assault individuals perceived to be LGBT individuals. Despite the hostile environment, increased media freedom allowed members of the LGBT community increased access to information. There were numerous LGBT blogs. For example, the Sida 1 av 5 magazine Gayday provided a forum for LGBT members to discuss issues of interest. Human Rights Watch (2013): Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Minister of Human Rights and Transitional Justice Samir Dilou said in a TV interview that "freedom of expression has its limits," and stated that homosexuality was a "perversion" that needed to be "treated medically." However, Chakib Darouiche, the ministry's press attaché, confirmed that Dilou acknowledged his responsibility to protect the rights of Tunisia's LGBT minority like those of any other Tunisian citizens. International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (2012) återger Tunisiens lagstiftning gällande homosexualitet: Tunisia Male/Male Illegal Female/Female Illegal Penal Code of 1913 (as modified) 179 Article 230. “The sodomy, that is not covered by any of the other previous articles, is punished with imprisonment for three years”. (Unofficial translation) (s. 37) Migrationsverket & Bundesamt für Migration (2012): Our sources said the attitude of the population towards homosexuality stretched from tolerance to strict condemnation, depending on social background: members of the Tunisian upper class can generally stand by their homosexuality relatively freely, whereas this is not the case for those from traditional backgrounds or rural areas. The latter potentially risks being cast out by their families or losing their job. Although it is possible to be verbally attacked36, when showing too explicit your sexual orientation, there was no known case of anyone being physically attacked. 37 Lesbians and gays will often seek the anonymity of Tunisia’s larger towns. In addition, there are opportunities for establishing social contact with other homosexuals through closed social communities.38 Generally, lesbians and gays do not have a problem as long as they do 2 not exhibit their sexual orientation publicly.39 Under the Tunisian penal code, homosexuality can be punished with up to three years’ imprisonment. 40 Our sources said the police had been relatively tolerant towards lesbians and gays before the revolution. However, there had been isolated cases of people being arrested, typically if you get too intimate in parks or other public spaces or otherwise make yourself too conspicuous. 41 The Red Crescent said it had wanted to distribute condoms in prisons, but this had been refused by the authorities.42 Other observers said that the authorities were relatively open to dialogue on this topic. However, society’s attitude towards this topic seems to be turning more critical.43 UD (2012). Bör läsas som komplement till UD-rapporten från 2011, se nedan: Homosexuella, bisexuella och transsexuella (hbt) personer är diskriminerade och sexuella relationer dem emellan belagda med fängelsestraff. Den politiska revolten och de positiva förändringar den i stort lett till har inte inneburit några lättnader för denna utsatta grupp. (s. 2) […] Homosexuella, bisexuella och transsexuella (hbt) personer har inte jämlikhet inför lagen. Sexuellt umgänge hbt-personer emellan anses som en brottslig handling, med ett maximumstraff om tre års fängelse. (s. 11) UD (2011): 17. Diskriminering på grund av sexuell läggning eller könsidentitet Homosexuella åtnjuter inte jämlikhet inför lagen. Homosexuellt umgänge kan bestraffas med upp till tre års fängelse. För att ett sådant straff ska kunna utdömas måste en anmälan ha gjorts och det ska finnas vittnen. Mot den bakgrunden är det ovanligt att mål som avser homosexualitet hamnar inför domstol. (s. 12) Se sammanställning av information från Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (2009) om homosexuellas situation i Tunisien: 3 http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4b20f04ac.html Se även urval av nyhetsrapportering angående hbtq-personers situation i det tunisiska samhället: Deutsche Welle (2012-11-07): (http://www.dw.de/no-gay-rights-revolutionin-tunisia/a-16364172 Indy Week (2012-09-19): http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/after-thearab-spring-the-future-is-uncertain-for-muslim-gayyouth/Content?oid=3152028 Tunisia Live (2012-01-25): http://www.tunisia-live.net/2012/01/25/tunisianlgbt-community-a-dont-ask-dont-tell-situation/ Denna sammanställning av information/länkar är baserad på informationssökningar gjorda under en begränsad tid. Den är sammanställd utifrån noggrant utvalda och allmänt tillgängliga informationskällor. Alla använda källor refereras. All information som presenteras, med undantag av obestridda/uppenbara fakta, har dubbelkontrollerats om inget annat anges. Sammanställningen gör inte anspråk på att vara uttömmande och bör inte tillmätas exklusivt bevisvärde i samband med avgörandet av ett enskilt ärende. Informationen i sammanställningen återspeglar inte nödvändigtvis Migrationsverkets officiella ståndpunkt i en viss fråga och det finns ingen avsikt att genom sammanställningen göra politiska ställningstaganden. Refererade dokument bör läsas i sitt sammanhang. Källförteckning Deutsche Welle, “No gay rights revolution in Tunisia”, 2012-11-07, http://www.dw.de/no-gay-rights-revolution-in-tunisia/a-16364172 (Hämtad 2013-06-11) Human Rights Watch, World Report 2013 - Tunisia, 2013-01-31, http://www.refworld.org/docid/510fb4cc2.html (Hämtad 2013-06-10) Immigration and Refugee Board, Tunisia. The status of homosexual men and women, 2009-11-23, http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4b20f04ac.html (Hämtad 2013-06-10) Indy Week, “After the Arab Spring, the future is uncertain for Muslim gay youth”, 2012-09-19, http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/after-the-arab- 4 spring-the-future-is-uncertain-for-muslim-gay-youth/Content?oid=3152028 (Hämtad 2013-06-11) International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Statesponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws criminalising same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults, maj 2012, http://www.refworld.org/docid/50ae380e2.html (Hämtad 2013-06-10) Migrationsverket & Bundesamt für Migration, Report from a Swedish-Swiss fact-finding mission to Tunisia from 6-10 June 2011, 2012-01-24, http://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/dam/data/migration/laenderinformationen /herkunftslaenderinformationen/afrika/tun/TUN-ber-factfindingmissione.pdf (Hämtad 2013-06-10) Tunisia Live, “Tunisian LGBT Community: A “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Situation”, 2012-01-25, http://www.tunisia-live.net/2012/01/25/tunisianlgbt-community-a-dont-ask-dont-tell-situation/ (Hämtad 2013-06-11) United States Department of State, 2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - Tunisia, 2013-04-19, http://www.refworld.org/docid/517e6dc218.html (Hämtad 2013-06-10) UD, Mänskliga rättigheter i Tunisien 2010, 2011-07-07, Lifos dokumentnr: 25559 UD, Mänskliga rättigheter i Tunisien 2011, 2012-06-30, Lifos dokumentnr: 28129 5