A fierce debate has been taking place in Tunisia between conservative Islamists and human rights defenders after controversial local TV investigation revealed abuse and extremist indoctrination in a “Quranic” school in the rural town of Regueb.





The investigation was featured in a segment of a program titled “Four Truths” presented by Tunisian journalist Hamza Belloumi on a private-owned local TV channel.

The program is known for discussing controversial topics has gone under massive fire for revealing the physical and sexual abuse faced by kids in the “Quranic” school in addition to being housed and indoctrinated with extremist ideas.

As the investigation has triggered the Tunisian society, opinions were split between denial while others felt annoyed and offended by the “false accusations”.

Meanwhile, one news website affiliated with Islamists called Sada Website went to release an article under the title: “War between God and Belloumi, by Hammadi Gharbi.”

The writer accused Hamza Belloumi, the journalist behind the investigation, of fabricating the whole investigation aiming to defame Quranic schools.

Translation: “An Islamic website (Sada) released an article accusing Hamza Belloumi of atonement because of his report that revealed sexual and physical abuse in addition to extremism indoctrination in a Quranic school in Regub (Central Tunisia). The investigation that was prepared by Belloumi’s team resulted in several investigations on Quranic schools and the result: Closure some of them.”

Translation: “In support of Hamza Belloumi against the dishonest campaign to distort his image.”

Despite the fact that an official investigation has confirmed the report, many insisted on denying it.

The official investigation has revealed grossly unsafe and unsanitary conditions in which 42 children aged 10-18, 27 adults aged 18-35 lived in. They were also being taught religion by unqualified and unlicensed figures.