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Beaten up for a comment

Salma, 38 years, Monastir

Salma, 38 years, went to a police station in Monastir to renew her identity card. As she was waiting her turn, a man and his two daughters arrived and passed by her. Salma protested to the police officer, saying it was unfair. The agent shouted at Salma and told her he would not accept to process her case. Two other agents intervened and intimidated Salma, who reacted strongly. One of the agents pulled Salma into an office. His colleague entered the room and punched Salma. He took her cell phone and started filming her, demanding that she apologize. The other agent also hit her and she went into hysterics.

They threatened to fabricate false accusations against her and keep her in the police station, or to even make her disappear. They told her that if she filed a complaint against them, they would claim that she had a psychiatric problem and that she had made the whole thing up.

Salma remained locked in a room at the police station for five hours. In the meantime, her husband arrived, and when he didn't see her come back at noon, he started looking for her in the hospitals and ended up spotting her car in front of the station.

The officers told him that his wife had a hysterical fit and had disrespected them, so they had to take her into custody for contempt of public office. An officer from another police station came to question her and drew up a custody report. Salma was then released with a summons to appear before the public prosecutor.

When leaving the station, Salma told her husband about all the violence she had suffered. He took her to the emergency room. She obtained a 14-day medical rest (CMI) listing numerous bruises and abrasions. She took photos of her injuries. A few days later, she filed a complaint.

During her confrontation with the officers before the prosecutor in the contempt case, the latter claimed that Salma had inflicted her injuries upon herself. The investigation for contempt against the officers

and violence against Salma is still ongoing. Her husband has been under pressure to convince his wife to drop her assault complaint.