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Tunisia: New Constitution Worries Christians

September 1, 2022

The modern nation of Tunisia is in an area that was once a renowned center of Orthodox Christianity. The holy martyr St. Cyprian of Carthage (which is in modern-day Tunisia), Blessed Augustine of Hippo (which is also in modern-day Tunisia), and many other saints hailed from North Africa. Today Christianity, albeit not yet Holy Orthodoxy, is returning to North Africa, but faces immense obstacles from both the government and many ordinary citizens.

For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in Tunisia, see here.

“New Tunisian Constitution Concerns Christians,” International Christian Concern, August 31, 2022:

08/31/2022 Tunisia (International Christian Concern) – Tunisia’s recently approved constitution brings concern for religious minorities, including Christians, after more powers were given to the sitting president and increased references to Islam. The new constitution states that the country “belongs to the Islamic Ummah”, or Muslim community, instead of a secular civil state as it previously did.

According to Open Doors, the constitution, approved in July 2022, states that the country is required to achieve the “purposes of Islam”. With the “purposes of Islam” unidentified, it is up to Tunisian authorities and president to interpret this goal. According to President Saied, the new constitution does not name Islam as the state religion, it merely references it. He sought to combat Islamic extremism.

Tunisia is ranked number 35 on Open Doors World Watch List….