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Morocco World
7 days 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
Morocco World
15-06-2025
- Morocco World
Two Brothers Arrested in Visa Scam and Human Trafficking Case
Two brothers have been arrested in Casablanca over a visa scam that tricked women into setting up fake businesses, which were then used to buy cars on credit. Morocco's National Brigade of Judicial Police caught the pair, aged 35 and 40, on Friday. One of them is already known to the authorities. Police say the men lured women by offering to help them get Schengen visas for travel to Europe. But instead of travel documents, the women found themselves unknowingly listed as company owners. Their personal documents and cheques were used to purchase at least 20 vehicles, which were later sold illegally. So far, three victims have been identified, but police believe more may be involved. The case comes as Morocco ranks fourth worldwide for Schengen visa applications, behind only China, India and Turkey. In 2024, Moroccans submitted over 606,000 applications, despite growing frustration over the process. Many applicants say it's become nearly impossible to book visa appointments through official channels. Intermediaries have flooded the system, snapping up slots and reselling them for thousands of dirhams. Moroccan YouTuber Bilal Fraiha recently spoke out on social media, saying he was asked to pay MAD 4,000 ($400) just to book an appointment that's supposed to be free. Others say they've been charged as much as MAD 6,000 ($600). Fraiha urged the authorities to crack down on the black market in visa appointments, calling the situation 'unacceptable.' Meanwhile, police are still investigating the Casablanca case, searching for other suspects who may be linked to the network. The two men remain in custody as the inquiry continues. Tags: Bilal FraihaCasablancavisa fraudVisa Scams
Ya Biladi
05-06-2025
- Ya Biladi
French Justice Minister praises Morocco for arrest in crypto-kidnapping case
French Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin expressed his gratitude to Morocco on Wednesday and praised the excellent judicial cooperation between the two countries, following the arrest of the alleged mastermind behind a series of recent crypto-related kidnappings in France. «I sincerely thank Morocco for this arrest, which demonstrates the excellent judicial cooperation between our two countries, particularly in the fight against organized crime», the French minister wrote on his official X account. The arrest was the result of a joint security operation carried out by Morocco's National Brigade of Judicial Police (BNPJ), in coordination with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST). The operation led to the apprehension of a French-Moroccan national suspected of involvement in kidnappings for extortion and ransom targeting cryptocurrency users, as well as in money laundering activities linked to an international organized crime network operating in France. The 25-year-old suspect was arrested in the city of Tangier as part of international security cooperation, shortly after Moroccan authorities received a formal request from their French counterparts outlining the criminal offenses allegedly committed on French territory, according to a statement from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN).
Ya Biladi
04-06-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
French-Moroccan arrested in Tangier for international crypto kidnapping and money laundering
A joint security operation led by Morocco's National Brigade of Judicial Police (BNPJ), in coordination with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), resulted in the arrest of a French-Moroccan national on Wednesday. He is suspected of involvement in kidnappings, extortion, and ransom demands targeting cryptocurrency users, as well as money laundering linked to an international organized crime network active in France. The 25-year-old suspect was arrested in Tangier as part of international security cooperation, following a formal request from French authorities outlining alleged crimes committed on French soil, according to a statement from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN). Searches connected to the case led to the seizure of several bladed weapons, including swords and knives, along with dozens of mobile phones and communication devices, which are currently being analyzed for digital evidence. A sum of money suspected to be tied to the suspect's criminal activities was also found. Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect is the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by French judicial authorities. He is accused of participating in violent kidnappings, extortion targeting cryptocurrency users, and laundering proceeds from these crimes. He has been placed in custody as part of the ongoing judicial investigation led by the BNPJ under the supervision of the public prosecutor. Given his Moroccan nationality, the legal process will follow national laws while addressing the French complaint.
Ya Biladi
06-03-2025
- Ya Biladi
Defendants and witnesses confront in Bennis-Allaj-Slaoui rape case
The investigation into the alleged drugging and rape of a French lawyer by four men from prominent families continues. The case, widely publicized as the «Bennis-Alj-Slaoui» case, has recently concluded a phase of intensive interrogations and confrontations between the defendants, witnesses, and the accused. The newspaper Assabah reported, citing its sources, that the investigating judge heard from several witnesses who were present at the party where the crime is believed to have taken place. Despite the lawyer's fiancé withdrawing his complaint, he was summoned from prison to give his testimony, in addition to facing the defendants and witnesses. Some witnesses who had previously testified before the National Brigade of Judicial Police stated that the lawyer's fiancé was in a highly agitated state during the party, physically assaulting one of the attendees and slapping his fiancée, while denying that he was attacked by the defendants. They added that they intervened to calm him down after a heated argument occurred between him and his fiancée. In their statements before the National Brigade and the Public Prosecutor, all the defendants denied committing the rape. They asserted that the French lawyer was in a clearly euphoric state and that she initiated unwanted advances towards several attendees. For his part, the party organizer, Kamil Bennis, emphasized that his relationship with the complainant was entirely consensual, denying that he gave her any drugs. He explained that the victim was the one who closed the room door after entering following a dispute with her fiancé. In another development, another party was heard in the case of the leaked phone call that led to the lawyer's fiancé being sentenced to three months in prison. The proceedings have been referred to the Public Prosecution, while the person involved has not been brought to trial, raising questions about the identity of the person who leaked the audio tape, which was the subject of a complaint filed by the head of the Bar Association in Casablanca. Information indicates that the person suspected of leaking the call, a doctor, has been wanted by justice since the beginning of the investigations. During the investigation of the lawyer's fiancé, the doctor was abroad and only appeared before the competent authorities after the verdict was issued against his friend, according to the same source. The investigating judge is expected to complete the confrontation sessions between the parties before issuing his final decision regarding the prosecution of the defendants in the case. The history of the case dates back to November 2, 2024, when Kamil Bennis organized a party at a villa in the Ain Diab area of Casablanca, attended by about 100 people. The four defendants, Bennis, Alj, Slaoui, and Dagbour, are accused of committing rape crimes under the influence of GHB, known as the «date rape drug», according to the victim's statement.
