European women go on trial for the manifestation of Tunis topless

TUNIS, June 5, 2013 (AFP)

Three European women went to trial in Tunis Wednesday to hold a demonstration anti-islamiste topless, and their French lawyer said he was confident about the outcome, despite the risk of imprisonment.

Pauline Hillier and Marguerite Stern of France and Josephine Markmann of Germany arrived at the Court around 0930 GMT wearing a traditional Tunisian veil, or Sam.

A few dozen people had gathered outside the courthouse and shouted abuse at one of Tunisian women lawyers.
"How can you defend these women?", one of the people shouted. "You're not Tunisian; you are not Muslim; you don't have a woman or a girl."

Patrick Klugman, who came to Tunis to represent activists from the radical group Femen, said that the prosecution decided on a charge of debauchery, and not an attack against public morals.

Klugman said Femen is accused of having committed an act of debauchery, but that there is no facts or evidence of the intention to support the charge.

"Their bodies were exposed not to seduce but to convey a political message... which is different from the common bawdy-house," he told AFP.

But women still face a possible six months in jail sentenced if found guilty.

Klugman said that he had come to defend "the freedom of expression of women, of their message and activists Femen.»
"We ask that these activists Femen are heard instead of watched", he added.

Given the sensitivity of the case in socially conservative Tunisia, which is governed by an Islamic party and where the pure Salafists are more authoritarian, a Ukrainian activist who had come to support women has been expelled from the country on the eve of the trial.

«Sextremist» said the expulsion motion, which the authorities have not been confirmed, is a worrying precedent.

"This is a signal that the Court will not base its judgment on the law, but that decision will be political," leader of Femen in Paris, Inna Shevchenko, told AFP by telephone.

The two French and a German activists staged the first demonstration topless from the group in the Arab world, outside the Palace of justice main in Tunis, may 29.

They were demonstrating in support of Amina Sboui, a Tunisian militant arrested after painting the word "Femen" on a wall near a cemetery in the religious city of Kairouan, in an act of protest against Islamic extremists.

Kevin is also due to appear before an examining magistrate Wednesday. She is facing possible charges of indecency and desecrating a cemetery.