Ibtissame Lachgar, an LGBT rights campaigner and a co-founder of the Various Motion for Particular person Freedoms, was arrested in Morocco over allegations of blasphemy.
Ibtissame Lachgar, an LGBT rights campaigner and a co-founder of the Various Motion for Particular person Freedoms, was arrested in Morocco over allegations of blasphemy after she posted pictures of herself sporting a shirt with the slogan “Allah is a lesbian,” in keeping with worldwide media reviews.
The 50-year-old activist stays in custody because the investigation continues. Her lawyer, Naima Elguellaf, instructed Agence France-Presse the trial is postponed till August 27.
Authorities mentioned they have been investigating the pictures, which depict her sporting a shirt with phrases “offensive to the divine, together with a caption insulting Islam,” in keeping with the Telegraph.
Elguellaf mentioned the courtroom had not but responded to a request that might see Lachgar provisionally launched.
Lachgar posted the photograph on Instagram final month with the caption, “You tire us along with your sanctimoniousness, your accusations. Sure, Islam, like several non secular ideology, is FASCIST. PHALLOCRATIC AND MISOGYNISTIC.”
She has repeatedly posted content material criticizing different religions, together with Judaism and Christianity.
She would later state that after the put up, she obtained “1000’s of sexist insults, rape and loss of life threats, requires homicide, stoning and many others…”
Beneath the Moroccan penal code, these convicted of “inflicting hurt” to Islam may be imprisoned for as much as two years, and or given a nice of greater than 200,000 Moroccan dirhams.
Earlier arrests and activism
This isn’t the primary time the activist had been charged with a criminal offense whereas protesting her nation’s legal guidelines. Lachgar was arrested for organizing controversial occasions just like the “kiss-in” in 2013 following the arrest of three youngsters.
Two youngsters and their buddy have been arrested for “violating public decency” for posting pictures of themselves kissing on social media.
AFP reported that she was arrested, although not prosecuted, in 2016 for disturbing public order, and in 2018 amid a marketing campaign in assist of abortion rights.
A 2009 picnic throughout Ramadan additionally reportedly resulted in her receiving loss of life threats.
