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{{Short description|Tunisian LGBT rights organization}}
'''Association Shams''' ({{langx|ar|جمعية شمس|Jamʿiyyat Shams}}) is a Tunisian organization for [[LGBT social movements|LGBT rights]], campaigning for sexual minority rights in [[Tunisia]]. The non-governmental, non-profit organisation derives its name from the Sufi mystic [[Shams Tabrizi]] (with {{transliteration|ar|shams}} also being Arabic for "sun") and its logo is made up of two whirling dervishes.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thearabweekly.com/?id=735|title=Controversy in Tunisia over new gay association|website=The Arab Weekly|access-date=2017-06-20|archive-date=2017-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829120719/http://www.thearabweekly.com//?id=735|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Foundation and guidelines ==
Association Shams was legally registered under [[Constitution of Tunisia|Tunisian law]] on May 18, 2015.<ref name="auto"/>
The focus of the organisation is the decriminalisation of [[homosexuality]]. On their website, they published a set of other goals such as:<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://shams-tunisie.com/propos-de-nous|title=A propos de nous|date=2017-03-26|work=shams|access-date=2017-06-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104095644/http://shams-tunisie.com/propos-de-nous|archive-date=2018-01-04|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Raising awareness about [[Sexually transmitted infection|sexually transmitted diseases]]
* Mentoring and supporting [[Sexual minority|sexual minorities]] around the country by providing financial, emotional and psychological help.
* Defending the rights of minorities and
==
The organisation is known for campaigns attracting media attention for LGBT issues in Tunisia.
In 2017, Radio Shams was created to help give LGBT voices in North Africa more representation. The founder was sent 4000 death threats within the first two weeks of operation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://m.huffingtonpost.co.za/2018/01/04/tunisias-first-queer-radio-station-plays-on-despite-mounting-death-threats_a_23323605/|title=Tunisia's First Queer Radio Station plays on despite mounting death threats|work=Huffpost South Africa|language=en-US}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In the station's first six months they had 10,000 listeners a week across 15 different countries. The show is streamed online six days a week.<ref>{{citation | title=Inside Tunisia's Shams Rad - the Arab world's 'only gay radio station' | date=17 June 2018 | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-44137901 | language=en-GB | access-date=25 July 2024 | page=}}</ref> The project is funded by the [[List of diplomatic missions of the Netherlands|Dutch embassy]] in Tunis.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Gay-rights activists take to the air in Tunisia |url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2018/03/17/gay-rights-activists-take-to-the-air-in-tunisia |access-date=2024-08-12 |work=The Economist |issn=0013-0613}}</ref>
In 2019, [[Mounir Baatour]], the head of the organisation, was the candidate of the [[Tunisian Liberal Party]] for the [[2019 Tunisian presidential election]] and was reported as the first openly gay presidential candidate in Tunisia by media outlets like [[NBC]], [[The Independent]], [[Raseef22]], [[Daraj Media]] and [[Vice (magazine)|Vice]], but was excluded from running,<ref name="mee">{{cite news |author=Ahlem Mimouna |date=15 August 2019 |title=Who will be Tunisia's next president? Here's the shortlist |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/who-are-top-runners-tunisian-presidency |work=[[Middle East Eye]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-13 |title=Buttigieg has company: A gay Tunisian is running for president |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/tunisia-has-its-first-openly-gay-candidate-president-n1041911 |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref><ref name="zee">{{cite news |author=Simon Speakman Cordall |date=14 July 2019 |title=Meet the man hoping to become the Muslim world's first openly gay president |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tunisia-lgbt-gay-president-candidate-mounir-baatour-shams-a9003656.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715153122/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tunisia-lgbt-gay-president-candidate-mounir-baatour-shams-a9003656.html |archive-date=2019-07-15 |work=[[The Independent|Independent]]}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-09-12 |title=On Queer Revolutionary Statements |url=https://www.mykalimag.com/en/2022/09/12/on-queer-revolutionary-statements/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=My Kali Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> because he had been sentenced to prison for sexual abuse of a minor in 2013.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Baatour's candidacy stirs controversy |url=https://www.disorient.de/magazin/baatours-candidacy-stirs-controversy |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=dis:orient |language=de}}</ref>
In 2020, Baatour claimed that Tunisian authorities had recognized the existing same-sex marriage of a Tunisian and French man and several Western (queer) media reported about it. Tunisian officials clarified that this was not the case.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tunisia Official Denies Claims Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal |url=https://www.out.com/news/2020/4/30/tunisia-official-denies-claims-same-sex-marriage-legal |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=www.out.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Controversy ==
=== Backlash ===
The existence of Association Shams has been received with scepticism by Tunisians. Several public figures were opposed to the existence of an LGBT activist group in the country.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/05/tunisia-lgbt-homophobic-attacks.html|title=Is homophobia at all-time high in Tunisia?|date=2016-05-04|work=Al-Monitor|access-date=2017-06-20|language=en-us}}</ref> Homosexuality is still criminalized under Tunisian law. As stated by the Article 230 of the Tunisian Penal code, homosexuality is a punishable crime and people accused of it can face up to three years in prison.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/11/tunisia-gay-rights_n_6304872.html|title=Tunisia's New Gay Rights Fight|last=Lavin|first=Talia|date=2014-12-11|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2017-06-20|language=en-US}}</ref> The authorities accuse people with sodomy without proper evidence and oblige them to undergo anal tests that have no medical relevance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201602091091.html|title=Tunisia: LGBT Rights Five Years After the Tunisian Uprising|last=Goldstein|first=Eric|date=2016-02-09|work=Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC)|access-date=2017-06-20}}</ref>
In December 2015, a controversy took place in several local media outlets and following that a case was filed against the organisation by Kamel Hedhili, the head of state litigation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/01/16/tunisia-lgbt-group-suspended|title=Tunisia: LGBT Group Suspended|date=2016-01-16|work=Human Rights Watch|access-date=2017-06-20|language=en}}</ref> The government stated that Shams is violating the association law of the country and that it deviated from its main course.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/tunisia-court-annuls-suspension-lgbti-organisation-shams|title=Frontline defenders|date=25 February 2016 }}</ref> The activities of the NGO were suspended for a whole month starting from January 4, 2016, by a decree of the Tunisian Court of First Instance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.awid.org/get-involved/tunisia-suspension-activities-lgbt-rights-association-shams|title=Tunisie : Suspension des activités de l'association pour les droits LGBT Shams|date=2016-01-13|work=AWID|access-date=2017-06-20|language=en|archive-date=2017-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418223152/https://www.awid.org/get-involved/tunisia-suspension-activities-lgbt-rights-association-shams|url-status=dead}}</ref>
One of the founders and leading LGBT activists of the organisation, Ahmed Ben Amor, faced harassments and death threats upon openly sharing his views and campaigning for the NGO on Tunisian TV in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tunisia-live.net/2016/08/18/police-officers-sexually-harass-leading-lgbti-activist/|title=Tunisia-Live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825204359/http://www.tunisia-live.net/2016/08/18/police-officers-sexually-harass-leading-lgbti-activist/|archive-date=2016-08-25|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the controversy, in 2017, supermarkets and public spaces banned the entrance of homosexuals to their premises. The sign "No Homosexuals allowed" showed up in different neighbourhoods around the capital city Tunis.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://observers.france24.com/en/20160426-
=== Criticism by other LGBT groups in Tunisia and the Arabic-speaking world ===
In 2018, three other LGBT groups in Tunisia, [[Mawjoudin]], Damj and [[Chouf Minorities|Chouf]], released a common declaration asking for the boycott of Shams. According to them, Mounir Baatour, the head of the organisation, had publicly exposed the sexual orientation of LGBT people, faced accusations of [[sexual harassment]] and was supportive of the [[Israeli Occupation of Palestine]].<ref name=":0" />
In 2019, Mawjoudin asked Baatour to resign from his presidential candidacy, repeating claims of sexual harassment against him. Baatour allegedly promised homeless gay minors shelter and then sexually harassed them. Baatour himself denies the allegations, citing that his alleged victims of abuse could sue him in case this was true.<ref name=":1" /> ''[[My.Kali]]'' magazine criticized that media reports about Baatour's presidency often failed to mention his 2013 imprisonment for sexual abuse, failed to give space to other LGBT groups in Tunisia in their reporting and that media reports mentioning his support for Israel contributed to stereotypes in the Arabic-speaking world that LGBT people were supporters of [[Zionism]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-17 |title=أول مرشح مثلي تونسي للرئاسة في الإعلام الناطق بالعربية |url=https://www.mykalimag.com/ar/2019/10/17/%d8%a3%d9%88%d9%84-%d9%85%d8%b1%d8%b4%d8%ad-%d9%85%d8%ab%d9%84%d9%8a-%d8%aa%d9%88%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%b1%d8%a6%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%a9-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b9%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=My Kali Magazine |language=ar}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:2015 establishments in Tunisia]]
[[Category:Human rights organisations based in Tunisia]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Africa]]
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