Tunisia's bar association sues divorce firm for 'encouraging divorce'

Tunisia's bar association has filed a lawsuit against a company that offers a three-step pathway to divorce under the charge of 'encouraging divorces and undermining family values.'

"That [the divorce campaign] is unacceptable and poses a threat to the family," the association said in a statement released on Monday.

Last week, billboards appeared across the capital Tunis advertising Tala9 ("Divorce" in Arabic), "the first Tunisian website to support your decision".

"Divorce: The decision is yours, we take care of the process," read the ads.

The campaign has drawn fury from conservatives and triggered a backlash around the North African state.

Hatem Mziou, head of the bar association, has called the service a scam that undermines the legal profession.

The bar's lawsuit alleges that Tala9 uses lawyers who are not properly registered, according to AFP.

Le divorce a portée de votre souris. pic.twitter.com/ajrjo3KA9d

— SMC Tunisia (@SMCTunisia) October 21, 2022

Meanwhile, Tala9 says on its website that "we don't encourage people to divorce, but if you've taken the decision, our role is to support you".

The firm pledges to see through the process for 1,200 dinars (US$ 370) with "no hidden fees".

"Specialists are available to answer your questions about every stage of the divorce process," the website says.

The Tunis municipality has given the firm two weeks to remove its billboards.

Last year, 13,000 Tunisian couples completed divorce proceedings, according to the ministry of women, families and children.

The ministry said the number is "very high" for Tunisia's population of around 12 million.

In 1956, Tunisia's post-independence president Habib Bourguiba outlawed polygamy and gave courts, rather than religious institutions, the responsibility for overseeing divorces.