Five people were handed jail terms of five months each after being found guilty of assaulting a primary school teacher who they claimed was an athiest, a court in Tunisia ruled on Monday.

The Criminal Court of Sfax delivered its verdict in the case of the assault of Faiza Souissi in one of the primary schools of Sfax.

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Souissi had been prevented from reaching the primary school Okbaa Ibn Nafaa in Sfax on the day of the school year by dozens of parents of pupils.

Five of them physically assaulted her while calling her a “miscreant”.

This affair aroused general indignation in Tunisia. Several organisations, associations and political parties expressed their unconditional support for Souissi.