Latest news with #Lachgar
Morocco World
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Feminist Activist Ibtissam Lachgar Faces Trial in Detention for Blasphemy
Marrakech – The Rabat prosecutor's office has decided to prosecute feminist activist Ibtissam Lachgar in detention. She was presented to the public prosecutor on Tuesday, following her arrest by the National Brigade of Judicial Police (BNPJ) on Sunday. Lachgar, also known as 'Betty' on social media, was arrested after posting a photo of herself wearing a t-shirt with inscriptions deemed offensive to divinity. The image showed her wearing a shirt with 'Allah' followed by 'is lesbian' – a play on a well-known feminist slogan, according to her explanation. The controversial post was accompanied by text describing Islam as 'fascist, phallocratic and misogynistic.' This publication sparked outrage online, with many users calling for her arrest. The 50-year-old activist is a prominent figure in Morocco's fight for individual liberties. A clinical psychologist and psychotherapist specializing in criminology, she co-founded the Alternative Movement for Individual Liberties (MALI), advocating for issues including reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and secularism. Former Justice Minister El Mostapha Ramid strongly condemned Lachgar's publication. In a Facebook post, he described it as 'a premeditated act' and 'an intentional offense to divinity.' Ramid stated that while he doesn't support excessive censorship, 'when it comes to attacking sacred religious symbols deliberately and in a planned manner, no tolerance is possible.' The former PJD minister referenced Article 267.5 of the Penal Code, which punishes attacks on constitutional religious constants. He argued that if Lachgar's statements are proven, 'they do not constitute a simple opinion or ideological divergence, but an intentional insult toward God, which requires judicial prosecution.' The Moroccan penal code prescribes six months to two years in prison and/or a fine of MAD 20,000 to 200,000 ($2,000 to $20,000) for any attack on the Islamic religion. Penalties can increase to five years if the 'outrage' is committed through public means, including electronic platforms. Before her arrest, Lachgar had reported experiencing severe online harassment. On Facebook, she claimed to have received 'thousands of threats of rape, death, calls for lynching and stoning' following her post. Even in Europe, her views are considered 'hyperprogressive' Some observers have mixed opinions about her approach. Moroccan journalist Nora Fouari commented that 'provocation must be intelligent, well-studied, and appropriate for its context, not merely for appearance or attention-seeking.' She questioned the visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals on TikTok and Instagram, asking, 'Who's actually talking to them?' Fouari noted that despite years of MALI's 'struggle' for liberties using these methods, they have achieved little progress, pleasing neither the state nor society, nor even international organizations. She argued that Morocco is gradually moving toward more individual freedoms at its own pace to maintain balance, adding, 'You didn't need to stir up a hornet's nest.' Others defend Lachgar's approach, arguing that provocation indeed requires consciousness, not impulsiveness. They contend that LGBTQ+ individuals aren't prominent on TikTok and Instagram seeking attention, but because they are marginalized, criminalized, and persecuted, with their voice being their only means of survival. These supporters claim that while some say movements like MALI 'haven't achieved anything,' they have at least stirred stagnant waters and broken the wall of silence. They assert that Morocco is indeed moving toward expanding individual freedoms, but not through silence and obedience – rather through courage and confrontation. Meanwhile, critics argue that 'the madness' of the left and extreme feminism doesn't yield results in Moroccan soil. For them, it produces adverse effects and has given the Brotherhood, Salafists, jihadist networks, and other ultra-conservative currents a free goal against Moroccan modernity and rational, balanced modernists. Swiss-based Moroccan human rights activist Kacem El Ghazzali noted in his analysis that Lachgar belongs to a privileged class of activists who typically avoid arrest despite being critical. He described her as 'a visionary who brings ideas from a possible future into the present,' adding that even in Europe, her views are considered 'hyperprogressive.' El Ghazzali pointed out that Lachgar has alienated potential supporters: feminists due to her gender-critical positions, conservatives despite her Islam-critical statements because of her stance on abortion, and liberal secularists in Morocco who sympathize but cannot publicly support her because 'Lachgar's freedom notions far exceed existing fantasies.' The legal proceedings continue as public opinion remains divided between defenders of freedom of expression and advocates for strict law enforcement to preserve religious values. Tags: blasphemyIbtissam lachgar
Ya Biladi
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Activist Ibtissame Lachgar placed in custody over «blasphemous» t-shirt
Moroccan feminist activist Ibtissame Lachgar was taken into custody on Sunday, August 10, after posting a photo of herself wearing a t-shirt with «phrases offensive to the Divine Being», the Public Prosecutor at the Rabat Court of First Instance announced in a statement. The photo, shared on her social media account, was accompanied by a post «containing insults to the Islamic religion», the statement noted. The public prosecution has ordered an investigation into the matter and, «given the urgency», Lachgar was «placed in police custody in accordance with the law», the same source added. «The appropriate legal measures will be taken in light of the investigation's results once it is concluded», the statement specified. On social media, Lachgar's post has gone viral, drawing strong condemnation from many who called for her to be held accountable. Former Minister of Justice Mustapha Ramid also called for her prosecution, writing in a post: «The so-called Ibtissame Lachgar deserves to be questioned, if what has been attributed to her in some outlets, describing God Almighty in an inappropriate manner, is indeed true. This is not about a different opinion or personal belief, but about her deliberate insult to God Almighty, attributing to Him what should never be said or heard».
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Activist Ibtissame Lachgar Arrested Over Blasphemous T-Shirt
Morocco's judicial police reportedly arrested activist Ibtissame Lachgar after a photo of her wearing a T-shirt with words blasphemous to God spread online. Lachgar appeared posing in a photo that reads: Allah is a lesbian.' Lachgar, a controversial feminist and activist, appeared in a photo wearing a shirt that read:' Allah is a lesb***.' The photo sparked uproar in Morocco and beyond, with many calling for a thorough investigation and her immediate arrest. Converging reports said that judicial police quickly responded to online reports, stating that all necessary legal measures would be applied. Former Minister of Justice Mustapha Ramid was among the Moroccans who reacted to the controversial and heinous act. In a post on Facebook, Ramid said that he is not in favor of 'excessive censorship.' While he is not in favor of over-monitoring speech, Ramid recalled that there should be zero tolerance for insults and offensive remarks toward a religion. He added that Morocco has laws and institutions to protect its sacred values. 'I recall the provisions of Article 267.5 of the Penal Code, which protects the unifying constants enshrined in Article 1 of the Constitution,' he said. The law punishes anyone involved in offending Islam with a prison sentence of between six months and two years in prison as well as a fine.
Ya Biladi
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Morocco's USFP to address constitutional reforms at October congress
In Morocco, the question of constitutional reform is resurfacing and is set to be a central topic at the upcoming USFP congress, scheduled for October. The announcement was made on Saturday, July 26, in Rabat by the party's First Secretary, Driss Lachgar, during a regular meeting of the National Council. «The preparatory committee for the congress has raised observations regarding the Constitution and deemed it necessary to address the matter. As a result, a proposal to draft constitutional reforms will be added to the congress agenda», Lachgar said in his speech. Against the backdrop of the Arab Spring, Morocco adopted a new constitution via referendum, which has been in force since July 1, 2011. The reform was initiated by King Mohammed VI in his speech on March 9 of that year, prompting political parties and civil society actors to submit their proposals to a specially appointed royal commission.
