pour acc\u00e9der au reportage exceptionnel de l’AISPP sur la catastrophe humanitaire des prisonniers politiques Tunisiens<\/strong>\u00a0<\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n
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TUNISIA<\/font> <\/p>\nLE FIGARO ISSUE BANNED IN TUNISIA BECAUSE OF OP-ED PIECE DEEMED \u00ab\u00a0OFFENSIVE TO ISLAM\u00a0\u00bb<\/font><\/h2>\n<\/strong><\/div>\n
Reporters Without Borders today voiced regret at a government decision to ban distribution of the 19 September issue of the French daily Le Figaro in Tunisia on the grounds that it contained an op-ed piece that \u00ab\u00a0offended Islam.\u00a0\u00bb The ban was issued under a law for the protection of religion that was used in February to seize copies of the newspaper France Soir containing cartoons of Mohammed. \u00ab\u00a0Without taking a position on the content of the op-ed piece, which was very aggressive towards Muslims, we point out that it is up to Tunisian readers to form their own opinion and not for the Tunisian authorities to filter information,\u00a0\u00bb Reporters Without Borders said. Headlined \u00ab\u00a0What should the free world do in the face of Islamist intimidation?,\u00a0\u00bb the op-ed piece was by Robert Redecker. According to the Tunisian newspaper La Presse, the interior ministry ordered the Le Figaro’s confiscation on the grounds of \u00ab\u00a0harmful content offensive to the Prophet, Islam and Muslims.\u00a0\u00bb<\/div>\n
TUNISIE<\/font><\/strong> <\/p>\nL’\u00c9DITION DU 19 SEPTEMBRE 2006 DU JOURNAL LE FIGARO INTERDITE EN TUNISIE<\/font><\/h2>\n<\/strong><\/div>\n
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L’\u00e9dition du 19 septembre 2006 du quotidien fran\u00e7ais Le Figaro a \u00e9t\u00e9 interdite en Tunisie du fait d’une tribune consid\u00e9r\u00e9e par les autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes comme \u00ab\u00a0offensant l’islam\u00a0\u00bb. Cette interdiction se base sur une loi relative \u00e0 la protection de la religion qui avait d\u00e9j\u00e0 justifi\u00e9, en f\u00e9vrier 2006, la saisie du journal France Soir reproduisant les caricatures de Mahomet. \u00ab\u00a0Sans nous prononcer sur le contenu de cette tribune tr\u00e8s agressive envers les musulmans, nous rappelons qu’il revient aux lecteurs tunisiens de se faire leur propre opinion et non aux autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes de filtrer l’information\u00a0\u00bb, a d\u00e9clar\u00e9 Reporters sans fronti\u00e8res. L’interdiction de publication est due \u00e0 un texte publi\u00e9 dans la rubrique \u00ab\u00a0D\u00e9bats-Opinions\u00a0\u00bb du Figaro, sign\u00e9 par Robert Redecker et intitul\u00e9 \u00ab\u00a0Face aux intimidations islamistes, que doit faire le monde libre?\u00a0\u00bb. Le minist\u00e8re tunisien de l’Int\u00e9rieur a ordonn\u00e9 la saisie du quotidien en raison \u00ab\u00a0du contenu pr\u00e9judiciable et offensant pour le Proph\u00e8te, l’islam et les musulmans\u00a0\u00bb, selon le journal tunisien La Presse. — Maghreb & Middle-East Desk Lynn TEHINI Reporters Without Borders 5 rue Geoffroy-Marie F – 75009 Paris 33 1 44 83 84 78 33 1 45 23 11 51 (fax) middle-east@rsf.org www.rsf.org www.leblogmedias.com (en fran\u00e7ais)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Le Figaro interdit en Tunisie pour offense \u00e0 l’islam<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n AFP, le 20 septembre 2006<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tunis<\/span> – <\/span>L’\u00e9dition de mardi (19 septembre 2006, NDLR) du quotidien fran\u00e7ais de centre-droit Le Figaro a \u00e9t\u00e9 interdite en Tunisie pour avoir publi\u00e9 une tribune consid\u00e9r\u00e9e comme \u00aboffensant\u00bb l’islam, a-t-on appris mercredi de sources concordantes<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n La saisie du Figaro dat\u00e9 du 19 septembre et publiant une tribune intitul\u00e9e \u00abFace aux intimidations islamistes, que doit faire le monde libre?\u00bb a \u00e9t\u00e9 annonc\u00e9e par des journaux tunisiens et confirm\u00e9e de source officielle<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Plusieurs quotidiens arabophones et le journal francophone La Presse ont indiqu\u00e9, dans un bref article au texte identique, que le minist\u00e8re de l’Int\u00e9rieur avait, \u00aben application de la loi\u00bb, ordonn\u00e9 cette saisie en raison \u00abdu contenu pr\u00e9judiciable et offensant pour le proph\u00e8te, l’islam et les musulmans<\/span>\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Habituellement disponible \u00e0 Tunis en d\u00e9but de soir\u00e9e du jour de sa parution en France, Le Figaro \u00e9tait introuvable en kiosque mercredi<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cette interdiction est intervenue quelques jours avant, \u00e0 la fin de cette semaine, le d\u00e9but du mois du ramadan. Cette p\u00e9riode de je\u00fbne, qui constitue l’un des cinq piliers de la religion musulmane, est tr\u00e9s observ\u00e9e par une large majorit\u00e9 des dix millions de Tunisiens<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dans sa tribune publi\u00e9e au sein d’une s\u00e9quence \u00abD\u00e9bats, opinions\u00bb du Figaro, le philosophe et enseignant Robert Redeker d\u00e9nonce \u00abla tentative men\u00e9e par (l’)islam d’\u00e9touffer ce que l’occident de de plus pr\u00e9cieux qui n’existe dans aucun pays musulman: la libert\u00e9 de penser et de s’exprimer<\/span>\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n La r\u00e9flexion de M. Redeker est intervenue apr\u00e8s les vives r\u00e9actions dans le monde arabo-musulman, notamment l’assassinat d’une religieuse italienne \u00e2g\u00e9e de 70 ans en Somalie, \u00e0 une d\u00e9claration, la semaine derni\u00e8re en Allemagne, du pape Beno\u00eet XVI sur l’islam et la violence<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Le philosophe qualifie notamment le Coran de \u00ablivre d’inou\u00efe violence\u00bb et le proph\u00e8te Mahomet de \u00abchef de guerre impitoyable<\/span>\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dressant un parall\u00e8le avec la guerre froide, il consid\u00e8re que, \u00abcomme jadis avec le communisme, l’Occident se trouve sous surveillance id\u00e9ologique\u00bb et que \u00abviolence et intimidation sont les voies utilis\u00e9es par une id\u00e9ologie \u00e0 vocation h\u00e9g\u00e9monique, l’islam, pour poser sa chape de plomb sur le monde<\/span>\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dans l’unique r\u00e9action enregistr\u00e9e en Tunisie aux propos de Beno\u00eet XVI, le Conseil sup\u00e9rieur islamique de la R\u00e9publique tunisienne avait exprim\u00e9 samedi dernier sa \u00abprofonde indignation\u00bb face aux \u00abpropos pr\u00e9judiciables\u00bb du pape sur l’islam et soulign\u00e9 \u00abla n\u00e9cessit\u00e9 de redresser rapidement la situation<\/span>\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ce Conseil, instance religieuse supr\u00eame du pays, avait soulign\u00e9 que \u00abla Tunisie a toujours oeuvr\u00e9 en vue de consacrer l’esprit de tol\u00e9rance, le dialogue et le respect des symboles sacr\u00e9s des peuples<\/span>\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Les autorit\u00e9s tunisiennes, qui entretiennent d’excellentes relations avec le Saint Si\u00e8ge, assurent ainsi une compl\u00e8te libert\u00e9 des cultes et une stricte protection des \u00e9difices religieux chr\u00e9tiens et juifs tout en luttant \u00e9nergiquement contre le terrorisme islamiste et les mouvements politiques radicaux se revendiquant de l’islam<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sur la base d’une loi sur la protection de la religion, elles avaient fait saisir en f\u00e9vrier dernier le journal France-Soir qui avait reproduit des caricatures de Mahomet dont la publication originale dans un journal danois avait provoqu\u00e9 une flamb\u00e9e de protestations dans le monde arabo-musulman<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Tunisia: International Religious Freedom Report 2006<\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
Released by the US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the secretary of state, with the assistance of the ambassador at large for international religious freedom, shall transmit to Congress \u00ab\u00a0an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom.\u00a0\u00bb<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tunisia: The constitution provides for freedom of religion and the freedom to practice the rites of one’s religion unless they disturb the public order; however, the Government imposes some restrictions on this right. The constitution declares the country’s determination to adhere to the teachings of Islam, stipulates that Islam is the official state religion, and that the president be Muslim. The Government does not permit the establishment of political parties on the basis of religion and prohibits proselytizing by non-Muslims. It restricts the wearing of Islamic headscarves (hijab) in government offices and it discourages women from wearing the hijab on public streets and at certain public gatherings.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There was no overall change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the reporting period, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The generally amicable relationship among religious groups in society contributed to religious freedom.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The U.S. government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Section I. Religious Demography<\/span><\/font><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The country has an area of 63,170 square miles, and a population of ten million. Approximately 99 percent of the population was Muslim. There was no reliable data on the number of practicing Muslims. There was a small indigenous \u00ab\u00a0Maraboutic\u00a0\u00bb Muslim community that belongs to spiritual brotherhoods known as \u00ab\u00a0turuq;\u00a0\u00bb however, there were no statistics regarding its size. Reliable sources reported that many members of these brotherhoods left the country shortly after independence when the Government appropriated their religious buildings and land (and those of Islamic foundations). During annual Ramadan festivals, members of these brotherhoods provided public cultural entertainment by performing religious dances. There were also approximately 150 members of the Baha’i Faith.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Christian community, composed of foreign residents and a small group of native-born citizens of European or Arab descent, numbered approximately twenty-five thousand and was dispersed throughout the country. According to church leaders, the practicing Christian population was approximately two thousand and included a few hundred native-born citizens who have converted to Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church operated twelve churches, nine schools, several libraries, and two clinics. There were approximately 500 practicing Catholics. In addition to holding religious services, the Catholic Church also freely organized cultural activities and performed charitable work throughout the country. In 2005 the Government permitted the reopening of a Catholic church in Djerba following requests from European nations with substantial tourist travel to the country. The Russian Orthodox Church had approximately one hundred practicing members and operated a church in Tunis and another in Bizerte. The French Reform Church maintained a church in Tunis, with a congregation of approximately 140 primarily foreign members. The Anglican Church had a church in Tunis with several hundred predominantly foreign members. There was a small Seventh-day Adventist community with approximately fifty members. The thirty-member Greek Orthodox Church maintained three churches (in Tunis, Sousse, and Djerba). On an occasional basis, Catholic and Protestant religious services were also held in several other locations, such as private residences. There were also approximately fifty Jehovah’s Witnesses, of whom approximately half were foreign residents and half are native-born citizens. The Government allowed a small number of foreign religious charitable nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to operate and provide social services.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Judaism was the country’s third largest religion with approximately 1,500 members. One-third lived in and around the capital and is descended predominantly from Italian and Spanish immigrants. The remainder lived on the island of Djerba where the Jewish community dates back 2,500 years.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Foreign Christian missionary organizations and groups were present in the country; however, they were not permitted to proselytize.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Section II. Status of Religious Freedom<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Legal\/Policy Framework<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The constitution provides for freedom of religion and the freedom to practice the rites of one’s religion unless they disturb the public order; however, the Government imposes some restrictions on this right. The constitution declares the country’s determination to adhere to the teachings of Islam, stipulates that Islam is the official state religion, and that the president be Muslim. The Government does not permit the establishment of political parties on the basis of religion and prohibits proselytizing by non-Muslims. It restricts the wearing of the hijab in government offices and it discourages women from wearing it on public streets and at certain public gatherings.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n No statutory prohibitions against conversion from Islam to another faith exist, and the Government does not require registration of conversion; however, government officials occasionally discriminate against converts from Islam to another religion, using bureaucratic means to discourage conversion.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Government controls and subsidizes mosques and pays the salaries of imams (clerics). The president appoints the Grand Mufti of the Republic. The 1988 Law on Mosques provides that only personnel appointed by the Government may lead activities in mosques and stipulates that mosques must remain closed except during prayer times and authorized religious ceremonies, such as marriages or funerals. However, several historically significant mosques are partially open to tourists and other visitors for a few hours per day, several days a week. New mosques may be built in accordance with national urban planning regulations; however, upon completion, they become the property of the Government. The Government also partially subsidizes the Jewish community.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The following Islamic holidays are considered national holidays: Eid el-Kebir, the Islamic New Year, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, and Eid Es-Sighir.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Government recognizes all Christian and Jewish religious organizations that were established before independence in 1956. Although the Government permits Christian churches to operate freely, it has recognized formally only the Catholic Church, via a 1964 concordat with the Holy See. In addition to authorizing fourteen churches \u00ab\u00a0serving all sects\u00a0\u00bb of the country, the Government recognizes land grants signed by the Bey of Tunis in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that allow other churches to operate. By the end of the reporting period the Government had not acted on a request for registration of a Jewish religious organization in Djerba; however, the group continued to operate and perform religious activities and charitable work unobstructed.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Government allows the Jewish community freedom of worship and pays the salary of the Grand Rabbi. It also provides security for all synagogues and partially subsidizes restoration and maintenance costs for some. In 1999 the president of the Provisional Committee of the Jewish community and his board of governors submitted registration papers to the Ministry of Interior for permanent registration as the Association of the Jewish Community of Tunisia. Although the Government has not registered the association by the end of the reporting period, the president and board of governors continued to meet weekly. During the reporting period, the Government permitted the association to operate and perform religious activities and charity work unhindered. According to the law, an NGO that has filed an application to register may operate freely while the Government processes its application. If the Government does not reject the application within ninety days, the NGO is automatically registered.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Government permits the Jewish community to operate private religious schools and allows Jewish children on the island of Djerba to split their academic day between secular public schools and private religious schools. The Government also encourages Jewish emigres and other Jewish pilgrims to return for the annual Jewish pilgrimage to the historic El-Ghriba Synagogue on Djerba. There also was a small private Jewish school in Tunis.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n