LGBT rights in Tunisia

The practice of homosexuality is illegal in Tunisia as it is considered to be a threat to social order.

Penal Code
Article 230 of the Penal Code of 1913 (largely modified in 1964) decrees imprisonment of up to three years for sodomy between consenting adults.

Position of the government
In 1993, the Appeal Court of Tunis dismissed a request by a transsexual woman to change her legal status from male to female. The judgement ruled that her sex change was a "voluntary" and "artificial" operation and could not justify a civil status change.

At least one gay man was known to have been granted asylum in the United States in 1997.

In February 2004, Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was present at a White House press conference where U.S. president George H. W. Bush condemned gay marriages being performed at the time in San Francisco.

The Tunisian government tightly censors the internet and in addition to blocking sites containing political opposition, Tunisia also filters pornography and gay-related content.

Gay life in Tunisia
While harassment by authorities and imprisonment of homosexuals is far from unknown, gays have a degree of freedom compared to nearby Libya, Egypt and Sudan, countries where accused homosexuals are routinely arrested. Both gay and straight sex workers are numerous in the country and are harassed by the police. In the capital Tunis, Avenue Bourguiba is a known gay cruising spot.