Debate over Art. 6 on the relationship between religion and state has been particularly heated, leading one Assembly member to faint on Tuesday night after standing and repeatedly shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is great). Tunisialive (Jan. 22) reported on the sequence of events leading up to this:
Article 6, as passed originally, says the "state protects religion, guarantees freedom of belief and conscience and religious practices, protects sanctities, and ensures the neutrality of mosques and places of worship from partisan instrumentalisation." ...
The text was then amended, however, on January 5 after a dispute between leftist member Monji Rahoui and Islamist member Habib Ellouz, with the latter calling Rahoui an "enemy of Islam" while on a radio program. Rahoui claimed the remark caused him to receive death threats. The assembly then amended Article 6 to include a ban on takfir, or accusing someone of being a nonbeliever, and as well as a ban on "inciting violence."
The amendment was condemned by many religious conservatives, who sought a similar ban on insulting religion, moving lawmakers last night to suggest a compromise amendment, which would commit the state to "protect sanctities from all assault and ban takfir and incitement to hatred and violence."(See prior related posting.)
