By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
TUNIS, Tunisia, — The interim government of Tunisia is currently investigating a television station for airing the animated film Persepolis. Specifically, they are investigating whether the station should face charges for “defaming” Islam by airing the film.
Persepolis is a semi-autobiographical film by Marjane Satrapi based upon her best-selling graphic novel of the same name. It depicts her early childhood through adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution. One scene includes an imaginary conversation with God, who is represented by a man with a white beard. Many Muslims consider such pictorial depictions of God to be prohibited.
The film was dubbed into the Tunisian dialect of Arabic for the airing.
On October 9, two days after the film’s airing, more than 300 protesters marched on the Tunis headquarters of Nessma TV. Police, having gained prior knowledge of the protest from Facebook, were on hand to prevent the protesters from reaching the building and made around 50 arrests.
An Interior Ministry official was quoted as saying that many of the protesters were carrying weapons, including knives, bars, and sticks. Hichem Meddeb, a ministry spokesman, said that arrests were made after protesters began throwing rocks.
The National Commission for the Reform of Media and Communication has come out condemning “all forms of violence and attempts to intimidate journalists.” They also called on media outlets to abide by the code of press ethics, and to exhibit responsibility.
A complaint about the film’s airing was sent to the Tunisian government and was signed by 144 individuals. The complaint sought charges to be brought against Nessma’s director and others under the press code and penal code. The press code says in articles 44 and 48 that a person found guilty of inciting hatred among religions or insulting a religion can be sentenced to prison. Penal code article 226bis says that a person found guilty of undermining public morals by “intentionally disturbing other persons in a way that offends the sense of public decency” can be sentenced to prison.
On October 11, after receiving the complaint, the state prosecutor opened up the case against Nessma.
Human Rights Watch is calling for the government to drop its investigation, telling authorities to respect free expression and approve pending amendments to abolish the “defaming of religion” law.
“Nessma’s owners have every right to air this serious and provocative film,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should be defending that right, just as it should defend the right of Tunisians to protest peacefully against Nessma.”
On September 23, Tunisia’s ad hoc advisory board, the High Commission for the Protection of the Objectives of the Revolution, approved a draft code that eliminates the offense of defamation of religion, as well as many other articles that violate the right to freedom of expression.
The interim government has yet to promulgate this change in the code.
This is not the first attack on free expression that has taken place since the ouster of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali on January 14.
Film director Nouri Bouzid was bludgeoned on the head with a metal bar on April 18, shortly after giving an interview on a Tunisian radio station in which he called for a secular constitution and explained that his upcoming film defended civil liberties and criticized religious fundamentalism.
The dispute over Nessma has highlighted the struggle between religious conservatives and liberals over the direction of the country.
A rally was held on Sunday in furtherance of preserving the freedoms of the Tunisian people.
“This event does not defend Nessma TV in any way, this event defends the freedom of the individual,” the post says. “We do not want a dictatorship in the name of the sacred. We do not want to go from a police dictatorship to an Islamic dictatorship,” said organizers.
For more information, please see:
LA Times — Tunis crowds gather for anti-censorship march — 16 Oct. 2011
Tunisia Live — Protests Against Protests: Freedom of Speech and Anti-Censorship Rally in Downtown Tunis Today — 16 Oct. 2011
Eurasia Review — Tunisia: ‘Persepolis’ Screening Stirs Passions — 15 Oct. 2011
Macon — Protesters attack home of Tunis TV station head — 14 Oct. 2011
Human Rights Watch — Tunisia: Drop Criminal Investigation of TV Station for Airing Persepolis — 13 Oct. 2011
The Guardian — Islamist protesters attack Tunisian TV station over animated film Persepolis — 10 Oct. 2011
