Sam Touzani

Sam Touzani (born 1968 Touzani is known as a critic of Islamism, of the far-right, and of what he perceives as political correctness from the left. He is an ex-Muslim and has received fatwas and hundreds of death threats because of his public apostasy, especially from Muslims.

Biography Touzani's parents came from the Rif in Morocco. They came to Belgium in 1964 during a migration wave. His new show Les enfants de Dom Juan, co-written by Ben Hamidou, was his response to the attacks, in which he demands the Muslim community to critically reflect on their beliefs and behaviour, that motivated some of its members towards radicalisation and terrorism. It also sought to break the taboo on homosexuality and apostasy within the Muslim community. Parti Socialiste politician Philippe Moureaux (former burgomaster of Molenbeek 1993–2012) banned Touzani from performing in the municipality for 10 years, and the show was boycotted by the inhabitants and associations of Molenbeek.

Views Touzani is an 'atheist', an 'ex-Muslim' and 'irreligious', but he doesn't like those terms because they indicate what he is not, while there are many things he does believe in, namely 'humanity, nature and humane laws.' He is a great admirer of Richard Dawkins, the editors of Charlie Hebdo (many of whom he knows/knew personally), sympathises with the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (pastafarianism), and in one of his shows he announced his own parody religion of Touzanism.

Touzani often takes part in the public debate, and rebukes both far-right extremists (amongst which he includes Vlaams Belang) and Islamists who regularly send him death threats and have even attacked him physically for being an ex-Muslim and openly criticising Islam. Neither does he want 'the politically correct left' to tell him how to behave, and he refuses to use the term 'Islamophobia', "not even a second; that concept is being used to make any criticism [of Islam] impossible, and silence the real debate." Furthermore, he criticises cultural relativism: "Our country emphasies ethnic-religious diversity and rights, while equality, citizenship and transparency come in second place. It should be the other way around." According to Touzani, Islam is in desperate need of reform, similar to how the Catholic Church has implemented an aggiornamento at the Second Vatican Council; otherwise it will disappear due to its 'rigidity'.

Theatrical shows 2002: One Human Show, one man show, Théâtre de Poche (Brussels) 2003: Gembloux ! À la recherche de l'armée oubliée, with Ben Hamidou and Sam Touzani, KVS and Avignon (about Moroccan soldiers during World War I) 2004: Les Discours du XXième siècle, Théâtre de Poche (Brussels) 2005: Contes érotico-urbains, by Thomas Gunzig, with Riton Liebman, Théâtre de Poche (Brussels) 2005: Ruben déballe tout !, one man show 2005: Allah Super Star, by Yassir Ben Miloud, Théâtre de Poche (Brussels) 2006: Le Rapport des enfants sur l’état du Monde, by Stanislas Cotton, Théâtre de la Balsamine 2006: Liberté égalité sexualité, one man show by Bernard Breuse and Sam Touzani, KVS 2010: Mozaik, one man show, with Dhalia Pessemiers, Zuideperhuis, Antwerpen 2010: Ruben refait le monde, one man show, Festival of Spa 2011: À portée de crachat, by Taher Najib, with Sam Touzani, Espace Senghor 2011: For the Beauty of Confusion, musical spectacle, with Geike Arnaert, Le Botanique 2012: Peur de rien, one man show, with Richard Ruben, Centre culturel de Woluwé 2014: Papier d’Arménie – Sans retour possible, by Caroline Safarian, with Sam Touzani, Espace Magh 2014: Rwanda mais avant et puis après, by Souâd Belhaddad, with Sam Touzani, Centre culturel de Schaerbeek 2014: Je suis Belge... mais ça ne se voit pas, with Richard Ruben, Théâtre du Forum, Festival of Avignon 2014: Les chaussures de Fadi or Les Souliers de Fadi, by Caroline Safarian, with Ben Hamidou, Espace Magh 2015: C’est ici que le jour se lève, by Sam Touzani and Rolland Westreich, Théâtre Le Public 2016: Les enfants de Dom Juan 2017: Liberté-Egalité-Identité, Théâtre Le Public

Filmography Films Feature films 1997: Le Bal masqué by Julien Vrebos: Nico 1999: Deuxième quinzaine de juillet by Christophe Reichert: M. Dehaan 2003: Et si... (vertige de la page blanche) by Raoul Ruiz: Pierre Marchand

Short films and intermediate films 1995: La Visite, short film by Lilian Cornelis and Jean Baptiste Van Zeebroeck: Maxime 1996: Testament d'un macaque, intermediate film by Jamel Mokni: Lakhdar 2004: Beaucoup de bruit by Ismaël Saidi: Sami 2005: Le Train by Luc Descamps: the passenger

Television 1993: École d'enfer by Jacques Bourton: Mehdi 1994: La Veuve de l'architecte by Philippe Monnier: Pépo 1995: Tip Tap Show, television musical by Pierre Baré, RTBF-Télé 2-TV5: the professor / Charlot 2001: Le Piège d'Oléa by Alain Robak: the brancardier 2001: La Torpille by Luc Boland: Gus, the rapper 2009: Chante !: Karim Brahi

As presenter 1993: presentation of the theme night Étranges étrangers (Arte) 1993–1996: Luna Park (RTBF, TV5) 1994: live presentation of the Fête de la musique in Dinant (RTBF) 1995: co-presentation of L'Énigme de Cristal (RTBF, TV5) 1995: Basketmania (RTBF La Deux) 1997: co-presentation of Complètement Télé (RTBF La Deux) 2003: Mille et une culture, portrait of Sam Touzani (RTBF-TV5) 2004: La Bataille de Gembloux, de la réalité à la fiction (RTBF La Deux) 2006: La Malédiction de l’Anneau, series on Richard Wagner's Tetralogy (RTBF)

Recognition Sabam award for Liberté-Egalité-Identité