Tunisians Protest for Right Not to Fast During Ramadan
Dozens of Tunisians gathered in the capital Tunis on Sunday to demand the right to eat and smoke in public during the Muslim dawn-to-dusk fasting month of Ramadan and to protest against the arrest of non-fasters. It is the first-ever demonstration of its kind in the South African country.
Muslims mark the holy month by abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex during daylight hours. Most cafés and restaurants in Tunisia remain closed during the day in Ramadan, and those that open do so discretely. Tunisia is unique among Arab countries in that eating in public during Ramadan is not technically a crime as there is no official law against it.
The country's constitution was revised in 2014 following the Arab Spring protests and was replaced which guarantees "freedom of belief" and conscience and promotes the values of "moderation and tolerance." Still, any violation on fasting remains frowned upon in a country where 99 percent of the population is Muslim.
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Moreover, the constitution gives the state the role of "guardian of religion," giving it the power to prosecute violators of Islamic custom. This was proven early June when four people were jailed for a month for "public indecency" after a neighbor reported them for eating outdoors.
During the rally organized by "Mouch Bessif" (Arabic for "Not against our will"), one demonstrator openly smoked a cigarette. "Why does it bother you if you fast and I eat?" the placard he held read in French. Another participant said he observes Ramadan but also wants his fellow Muslims to respect freedom of belief and conscience.
"We're protesting about lawsuits against non-fasters," protester Karim Chair said. "Whoever wants to fast can fast, but whoever doesn't want to shouldn't have to," Chair added. At the beginning of the fasting month this year, a media-oriented preacher went the rounds of cafés open during the day and recorded footage of customers to shame them.
