Tunisians protest for right not to fast during Ramadan

Digital Journal ^ | 11 June 2017

[Lorianne]

Dozens of Tunisians demonstrated Sunday to demand the right to eat and drink in public during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and to protest against non-fasters being arrested.

There is no law against eating or drinking in public during Ramadan, but every year the issue comes to the fore in the North African country.

Tunisia's constitution guarantees "freedom of belief and conscience", but the state is also the "guardian of religion".

Following a call by the "Mouch Bessif" (Arabic for "Not against our will") group, protesters in central Tunis shouted that "Individual freedom is guaranteed by the constitution!"

One man openly smoking a cigarette -- this is also deemed unacceptable during Ramadan daylight hours -- held a placard in French that asked: "Why does it bother you if you fast and I eat?"

Demonstrators also protested against the arrest of people who were not fasting.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Liberals and Muslims are alike in that they demand absolute obedience to their dogma.

[xp38]

Falafels all around!

[PGR88]

Brave people, going against their strict religious-cultural Muslim norms in their country.

I wish them the best. This is how Islam may be civilized and modernized, if possible - slowly, in their own countries, not by moving their citizens moving to the West, where they rather become alienated, and not by Western “nation building” in those countries.