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{{Short description|Tunisian LGBT rights organization}}
'''Association Shams''' ({{lang-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 {{
== Foundation and guidelines ==
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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}}</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.<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>
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==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:2015 establishments in Tunisia]]
[[Category:Human rights organisations based in Tunisia]]
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