Around 300 Tunisian artists, filmmakers and writers gathered in front of the headquarters of the National Constituent Assembly yesterday, demanding that cultural rights and freedom of expression by included in the new constitution.

Quoted on Africa 1 radio station, Habib El-Hady the head of African Art Cinema, said that guaranteeing creative freedoms and protecting artists is considered to be like a public service in cultural circles, as important as healthcare and education.

He added that a number of Salafists attacked his cinema complex in July in order to prevent a film on secularism being shown.

The musician Bahy Khamees also expressed his fear of the alienation of culture and the disregard by politicians of cultural issues.

Five thousand people have signed the petition, which contains the demands of the artists.