- Title: "I received death threats" Tunisian blogger on trial over social media post
- Date: 2nd July 2020
- Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BLOGGER ON TRIAL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POST, AMNA CHARGI, SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE COURT SUPPORTERS STANDING OUTSIDE COURT HOLDING SIGNS / SUPPORTER DRAPED IN TUNISIAN FLAG MORE OF CHARGI SIGN READING (Arabic): "WE ARE ALL AMNA CHARGI" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BLOGGER, AMNA CHARGI, SAYING: "My name is Amna Chargi. I am 27-years-old, and I am from Tunis. I shared a photo relating to the coronavirus, that created a buzz on Facebook because of the photo I shared. There were people calling me names, and they sent me death and rape threats. The threats are still ongoing." SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE OF COURTHOUSE SIGN READING (Arabic and English): "SAY NO TO INQUIRIES" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BLOGGER, AMNA CHARGI, SAYING: "Because of a Facebook post, on my private account, I am on trial, whereas there are other people who are threatening to kill, slaughter and rape me, and the authorities have nothing to say about that. The authorities have not investigated them the way they've investigated me." SUPPORTER WEARING TUNISIAN FLAG ADDRESSING PROTESTERS MAN FILMING STAND WITH PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUPPORTER, MOUHAMED JANDOUBI, SAYING: "This case contradicts Tunisia's laws. Tunisia is a civil state. There is freedom of conscience, freedom of belief and freedom of expression. The Tunisian revolution has been established on the basis of freedom of expression." TUNISIAN COURTHOUSE VARIOUS OF TUNISIAN FLAG OVER COURTHOUSE COURTHOUSE ENTRANCE PEOPLE INSIDE COURTHOUSE SUPPORTER AMIN MASSOUDI, IN FRONT OF COURTHOUSE SIGN READING (Arabic): "WE ARE ALL AMNA CHARGI" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUPPORTER, AMIN MASSOUDI, SAYING: "We are all here to defend the civil state, the state of freedom and the freedom of expression. Amna Chargi does not represent herself (alone) in this fight. As of today, she is a symbol for the causes defending freedom." VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS HOLDING SIGNS DURING STAND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SUPPORTER, NAJIB GASA, SAYING: "This is a joke. She did not even say anything abusive towards the Koran. She applied a dialogic method in learning the Arabic language. She took the Koran as a model and tried to emulate it. But there was no insult." PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF COURTHOUSE
- Embargoed: 16th July 2020 17:23
- Keywords: Amna Chargi Blogger Islam Koran Social Media Trial Tunisia
- Location: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- City: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- Country: Tunisia
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001CL4ACZR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tunisian blogger Amna Chargi, on trial over charges of violating morals and inciting violence and hatred, says she received death threats after publishing a satirical post on social media about the coronavirus pandemic.
The post used the same style language and design as Islam's holy Koran and was deemed "hateful" by the country's public prosecutor.
It read that the virus came from China, and asked people to wash their hands, triggering backlash for what some viewed as an insult to Islam.
"There were people calling me names, and they sent me death and rape threats," Chargi said.
Chargi appeared in court on Thursday (July 2) along with a handful of her supporters who say they were there defending freedom of expression.
A judge in Tunisia's court of First Instance said the verdict will be delivered on July 13. The 27-year-old could face up to three years in prison and a fine of 2000 Dinars ($500).
The government has so far not commented on Amna's case.
On May 27, Amnesty International released a statement condemning the charges against Chargi and demanding her protection from ongoing threats.
(Production: Jihed Abidellaoui, Nadeen Ebrahim, Seham Eloraby) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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