Court battle is not over for raped girl

The public prosecution in Tunisia has appealed against last week's court ruling to drop a case of possible indecency against a young woman allegedly raped by two policemen, her lawyer said on Monday. "We just found this morning that the prosecution has lodged an appeal," Bochra Belhaj Hmida told AFP. Five weeks ago, Tunisian President Mohamed Moncef Marzouki was apologising to the woman who was raped by police officers. On September 3, the 27-year old was out late at night with a male friend, when they were stopped by the three officers. She was raped by two of them. When the two suspects were arrested and charged, the girl found out that she also was charged with 'indecency'. The story sparked outrage nationally and internationally. The girl was accompanied by the young man who witnessed the rape, and Sihem Bensedrine, head of National Council for Liberties in Tunisia. The Tunisian President showed his compassion and apologised to her and to the young man on behalf of the country about the distressing situation they have been through which “touched all the Tunisians.” Marzouki also expressed his deep sorrow and condemned the acts of the police officers. The president said: “These acts only tarnish the honour of those who committed them.” Marzouki also praised the morality of the third police officer, who refused to lie to protect his colleague. He said: “this fact shows that moral corruption is not part of the institution itself. But there are still individuals who haven’t realised the goal of the revolution was to free all the Tunisians, men and women.” He added: “Even if rapes happen all over the world, in this country we do not forgive rapists and those who lie and protect them.” The President added that this case will be closely followed in order to avoid any possibility of corruption.