After 30-year jail sentence for cannabis users, protesters demand decriminalization
Law 52 allows authorities to detain dissidents and protesters on grounds that don’t appear to be political
Monday, February 22, 2021
A series of protests which began on January 15 in various cities and neighborhoods across Tunisia have largely focused on economic inequality and police repression. But recently, some of those protesting have revived an old demand of decriminalizing cannabis usage. One event appears to have pushed some to take up this demand again with renewed visibility in the streets and on social media: on January 21, 2021 a judge in El Kef handed out 30-year jail sentences to three young men for cannabis consumption in a public place. The high attendance at these protests may stem in part from widespread anger at the 30-year jail sentence. However, some of the recent street activism may be traced to planning going back even further, to six months ago, according to one organizer.
