Heated Debate on Social Media Over Jailing of Four Tunisians Who Ate in Public During Ramadan

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Ali Waked

A decision by the Tunisian government to begin enforcing the religious obligation to fast on Ramadan by punishing those who don’t respect it publicly with jail time has ignited a heated debate on social media platforms.

Authorities in Tunisia imprisoned four citizens who were caught eating in public during the month of Ramadan, in which Muslims fast during the day.

The four were sentenced to one month in jail after they were seen eating in a public park and residents living nearby filed a complaint with police. During the trial, the prosecution claimed that the four disrupted public order and acted provocatively by smoking and eating in public.

The Civil Coalition for Individual Freedoms and many others condemned the imprisonment, especially in light of the fact that Tunisian law does not forbid eating during Ramadan.

The sentence ignited heated debate on social media with a majority opposing the decision.

Social media user Abrahman wrote, “Welcome to the bottom of the Earth’s sewer.”

Sophie Nabil wrote, “When you see Arab behavior you can understand the foreigners and the way they look at Arabs and the religion of Islam. Even if you wanted to turn us into infidels, you wouldn’t need to do more than what you’re doing.”

Hisham Anis wrote, “We aren’t moving backward, we’re falling into the abyss, and we still continue to dig (further into the abyss).”

Another social media user called Sam wrote, “The Arab states have been struck by the racist and despotic Wahabism epidemic.”

https://twitter.com/Sam51635892/status/870331447151906818?s=03

Many Twitter users voiced their anger in response to an article in the BBC, which was the first media outlet to report on the controversy.

Oger Amanuel wrote, “Primitive! Where are the Arabs headed?”

Another Twitter user criticized the Tunisian authorities by claiming that they’re acting against Islam. “You’re fighting against Allah and against his prophet and spreading secularism … and at the moment you’re labeling four people as stupid for not respecting the fast!! Nonsense.”

https://twitter.com/amremajid98/status/870643068764028931

Dr. Zeyad Zaben wrote, “May Allah give you brains! The religion has become blasphemous, where is the spirit of accepting the other?”

Another Twitter user named Ibrahim wrote, “They’re concerning themselves with those who aren’t fasting and not concerning themselves with those who are hungry.”

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