A young Tunisian man has been released after being given a one year jail sentence for being gay. The case caused controversy around the world after the man was convicted in September, with many human rights groups challenging the judgement.

The man was originally summoned to a police station in Hammam-Sousse under false pretences, with officers saying they wanted to use him as a witness in a murder investigation. However, six days later he confessed to being homosexual after an intrusive anal probe exam supposedly ‘proved’ he had been engaging in anal sex.

Although he was originally sent to prison for a year, an appeals court ruling saw the sentence reduced to two months, before the man was eventually freed after being detained for sixty days. At the time of his arrest, MEPs across Europe spoke out against the law, with a letter being delivered to the Tunisian Justice Minister urging for the man’s release and that changes be made to Tunisian laws. Read more via PinkNews