A court in Morocco has sent Ibtissam Lachgar to two and a half years in prison and ordered her to pay a hefty penalty of USD 5,000 for blasphemy. Lachgar is a prominent LGBTQ activist in Morocco.
Human Rights Groups have criticized the decision and called it an attack on freedom of expression.
Morocco Court Orders Prison and Fine for Ibtissam Lachgar’s T-Shirt Post
Talking about the decision, the judge said that Lachgar breached Morocco’s law which promises punishment for offending the monarchy or Islamic religion. Lachgar was accused of blasphemy after she posted a picture wearing a T-shirt that had messages perceived as controversial according to Morocco’s law. Her lawyer, Naïma El Guellaf, said they plan to appeal the conviction.
Hamid Sikouk from the Moroccan Association of Human Rights called the verdict “unjust” and warned it threatens freedom of speech and opinion.
At the hearing, Lachgar, wearing a headscarf and looking tired, said she had no intention of offending Islam. She explained that her T-shirt expressed a political message and carried a slogan against sexism and violence toward women.
Her lawyers argued that posting the image online was not an offense. “God is not only for Muslims, but also for Christians and Jews. I don’t see any offense to Islam in that post,” El Guellaf told the court. “I am Muslim myself and not offended.”
Human Rights Groups in Morocco Criticize Verdict as Attack on Free Speech
Souad Brahma, head of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights, said the case shows a decline in human rights in Morocco. She added that Lachgar was talking about religions in general, not Islam specifically. The defense also said wearing the T-shirt is protected by freedom of expression, a right in Morocco’s constitution, and called the charges unconstitutional.
The T-shirt included words referring to the sexual identity of a deity and called Islam fascist and misogynistic.
Known for her activism that can often be considered provocative as per the culture of Morocco, Lachgar, 50, is also a psychologist and is a co-founder of the Alternative Movement for Individual Freedoms (MALI). She is a well-known activist in Morocco and recognised as a defender of women’s and LGBTQ rights in the country.
Ibtissam Lachgar’s Activism: Challenging Morocco’s Local Norms
Meanwhile, public opinions have differed on her arrest. Many have offered their support to the decision while others have criticized the court’s order. An important fact to consider here is that in Morocco, homosexual relations are considered illegal and certain speeches invite criminal charges.
Lachgar has also pushed to decriminalize sex outside marriage. Over a decade ago, she organized a protest outside Morocco’s parliament in support of two teenagers facing indecency charges after posting a photo of themselves kissing on Facebook.
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