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Femen member Amina Tyler on trial in Tunisia | Femen member Amina Tyler on trial in Tunisia |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A prominent member of the feminist group, Femen, in Tunisia has gone on trial in the city of Kairouan. | |
Amina Tyler is charged with carrying an "incendiary object". She appeared in court smiling, dressed in a white robe. | Amina Tyler is charged with carrying an "incendiary object". She appeared in court smiling, dressed in a white robe. |
Conservative groups accuse her of insulting the city of Kairouan, a religious centre. | Conservative groups accuse her of insulting the city of Kairouan, a religious centre. |
Ms Tyler scandalised some in her home country in March by posting photos of herself topless, with the slogan "my body is my own" written on her torso. | Ms Tyler scandalised some in her home country in March by posting photos of herself topless, with the slogan "my body is my own" written on her torso. |
Femen, a Ukrainian group, is famous for its topless protests. | Femen, a Ukrainian group, is famous for its topless protests. |
On Thursday, some 200 protesters, many religious conservatives, protested outside the court, chanting slogans against Ms Tyler, accusing her of attacking the city and insulting Islam. | |
Ms Tyler emerged from hiding earlier this month in Kairouan, where she wrote "Femen" on a wall near the city's main mosque. | Ms Tyler emerged from hiding earlier this month in Kairouan, where she wrote "Femen" on a wall near the city's main mosque. |
That was on the same day as authorities banned a group of ultra-conservative Muslims from holding their annual conference in Kairouan. | That was on the same day as authorities banned a group of ultra-conservative Muslims from holding their annual conference in Kairouan. |
Ms Tyler was detained by police amid clashes and tear gas as an angry crowd gathered. | Ms Tyler was detained by police amid clashes and tear gas as an angry crowd gathered. |
Her lawyers argue that a 19th-Century charge of carrying an incendiary object should not apply to a can of pepper spray she says she had been given by a foreign journalist for her own protection. | |
Lawyers saying they represented the city called for her to face the more serious charge of threatening public security. They were turned down by the judge. | Lawyers saying they represented the city called for her to face the more serious charge of threatening public security. They were turned down by the judge. |
The trial has drawn attention partly because it is set against the background of tensions in Tunisia, following the overthrow of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. | |
There has since been an increase in the prominence of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists, who campaign for greater public piety in Tunisia. | There has since been an increase in the prominence of ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists, who campaign for greater public piety in Tunisia. |
Femen describes itself as "fighting patriarchy in its three manifestations - sexual exploitation of women, dictatorship and religion". | |
Ms Tyler's fellow activists around the world have staged topless protests calling for her freedom. |
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