Tunisian and international organizations have called for mobilizing the civil society to demand that the parliament endorse a Code for Individual Freedoms with continued violations of these freedoms.
The Individual Freedoms and Equality Committee suggested in its latest report in June 2018 social reforms including equality between men and women in inheritance and lifting sanctions over homosexuality.
The committee’s recommendation provoked criticism especially by religious organizations and conservative deputies.
A total of 16 deputies from several parliamentary groups introduced a proposal for a Code for Individual Freedoms. But it was never listed on the discussions' program. The bill addresses a number of freedoms including the freedom of religion, freedom of the body, and abolishing capital punishment.
Yosra Frawes, head of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (AFTD), told AFP that the Tunisian law penalizes for homosexuality by virtue of chapter 230.
She said that threats increase as more conservative groups surface in the parliament. In addition to Ennahda Movement – of Islamic reference -, the parliament includes Dignity Coalition and Errahma. Each party has respectively, 54 seats, 18 seats, and two seats.
Bushra Hameeda, head of Individual Freedoms and Equality Committee, said that despite the progress of freedoms in Tunisia since the revolution in 2011 yet there will always be laws restricting them.
She stressed that there are violations of human rights on a daily basis, and even worse is that part of the community practices censorship over others’ freedoms.
Elodie Cantier-Aristide, head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Tunisia, stated that this enables legislative support to the implementation of these laws.
