International
Outcry as court jails man for smoking in public during Ramadan
There is outcry in Tunisia after a man was jailed for one month for “public indecency” by a court in north-western Bizerte town after he was caught smoking on the streets during Ramadan.
The action by the Tunisian court has been condemned by rights groups in Tunisia and even Amnesty International which said the ruling was an “absurd violation” of personal freedom after the man was caught during the dawn-to-dusk Muslim fast.
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There are no laws in mainly Muslim Tunisia requiring individuals to fast or barring them from eating or smoking publicly during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Amnesty said.
“The Tunisian authorities should not allow vaguely worded charges to be used to impose harsh sentences on spurious grounds,” it added in a statement.
“Everyone should have the right to follow their own beliefs in matters of religion and morality.”
Reports say dozens also protested in the capital, Tunis, for the right to eat and drink in public during Ramadan.
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seyi jelili
June 15, 2017 at 8:48 am
I am not surprised that Tunisia did this because it’s a Moslem country. Save us from this.
JOHNSON PETER
June 15, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Keep shut seyi. Is it a good thing to smoke? It’s totally absurd to smoke both in public and even in private
yanju omotodun
June 15, 2017 at 9:08 am
I think the Tunis government should permit people to do what behoves them as long it has nothing to do with public morals
Animashaun Ayodeji
June 15, 2017 at 10:40 am
The man deserved to be punished, his act can tempt fasting muslims to eat. He ought to have respected other people’s religious beliefs before smoking publicly. When someone who’s fasting inhale the smoke from his cigarette, his/her dash has ended for that day.
Abeni Adebisi
June 15, 2017 at 10:44 am
I agree with you to some extent, but, he still has tone right to do whatever he wants since there’s no rule and regulation governening how fasting should be in the country.
Anita Kingsley
June 15, 2017 at 10:47 am
Everyone knows and acknowledge supreme law as the greatest law governing everyone, his common sense should have told him not to smoke in public. He can go to a bar or sit in his house to smoke whatever he likes.