A Moroccan court on Wednesday sentenced feminist and LGBTQ+ activist Ibtissame Lachgar to 30 months in prison for blasphemy, her lawyer Naima El Geullaf said.
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Lachgar was found guilty of violating part of Morocco’s criminal code that prohibits offending the monarchy or Islam.
The court sentenced Lachgar to 30 months in prison and imposed a fine of 50,000 dirhams ($5,500), said defense lawyer Mohamed Khattab.
Lachgar, 50, is a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Alternative Movement for Individuals Freedoms known as MALI.
She is a prominent activist known for vocally standing up for women and LGBTQ+ communities in Morocco.
The activist was arrested last month after posting online a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt with the word “Allah” in Arabic followed by “is lesbian.”
During the Wednesday hearing, Lachgar was wearing a headscarf and she appeared fatigued. She argued that the message on the T-shirt she wore was political and had no intention of offending Islam.
Her defense team agreed with her.
“God is not only for Muslims, but also for Christians and Jews. I don’t see any offense to Islam in that publication,” lawyer El Guellaf told the court. ”I am Muslim myself, and I don’t feel offended by it.”
Lachgar calls for the decriminalization of sex outside of marriage. More than 10 years ago, she organized a gathering outside the parliament where couples kissed, in solidarity with two teenagers facing indecency charges for posting a photo of themselves kissing on Facebook.
The defense said wearing the T-shirt falls under freedom of expression, and called the charges unconstitutional. They plan to appeal the ruling.
Hakim Sikouk, president of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, called the sentence “shocking” and an “attack” on freedom of expression.
Lachgar’s sentencing has reignited the debate about human rights in Morocco. Some say it is a valid response to provocation and others see it as a violation of democracy and freedom of speech.
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