Tunis – Mokhtar Kammoun
French and German officials have expressed regret over the prison sentences handed out to three activists from FEMEN, an international women’s movement known for staging topless protests, in Tunisia. The women, two French nationals, Marguerite Stern and Pauline Hillier, and one German, Josephine Markmann, were arrested on May 29, as they protested bare-chested in front of the Tunis Court building, demanding the release of a Tunisian FEMEN activist arrested a few days before. The three women were convicted of public indecency, undermining public morals, and disturbing peace, with a Tunisian court sentencing them to four months and one day in prison each. The three women are expected to appeal against their conviction.