Thursday, April 4 has been designated as “International Topless Jihad Day” by the Ukrainian feminist group, FEMEN. The group staged topless protests in several countries in support of Tunisian feminist activist, Amina Tyler.
Last month, Tyler posted photos of herself on the FEMEN website with the words, “I own my body; it's not the source of anyone's honor” and “F*ck Your Morals” written across her naked body. This prompted Almi Adel, the head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Tunisia to issue this statement according to Huffington Post UK:
“This young lady should be punished according to sharia, with 80 to 100 lashes, but [due to] the severity of the act she has committed, she deserves be stoned to death. Her act could bring about an epidemic. It could be contagious and give ideas to other women. It is therefore necessary to isolate. I wish her to be healed.”
FEMEN’s “Topless Jihad” is a direct response to this statement and a call to support the 19-year-old Tyler. Tyler is allegedly being held in a psychiatric hospital and could face up to two years in prison plus fines. There is also the very real fear that she could face much worse from Muslim extremists.
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