Tunisian president apologizes for rape

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TUNIS, Tunisia, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- The president of Tunisia apologized to a woman raped by two police officers and then charged with indecent behavior.

Interim President Moncef Marzouki received the woman, her fiance, who was with her at the time of the rape, and human rights activist Sihem Ben Sedrine at the presidential palace, Tunisia Afrique Press reported.

The couple says they were sitting in a car last September when the officers approached them, sexually assaulted the woman and forced her fiance to withdraw money from an automatic teller machine.

The officers charged the couple with violating immorality laws by being in a compromising position in the car.

Marzouki said other officers reported the two, showing the behavior is an aberration.

"It is not the security institution that is to blame but rather the mindset of some of its members," he said.