The National Secular Society is calling for the release of a woman arrested in Morocco for ‘offending Islam’ after she wore a t-shirt saying Allah is a lesbian.
The Moroccan Public Prosecutor’s Office announced yesterday it had taken human rights activist Ibtissam ‘Betty’ Lachgar into police custody after she posted a photo of herself on social media (pictured) wearing a t-shirt with the slogan “Allah [in Arabic] is lesbian”, according to Le Monde.
The public prosecutor at the Rabat Court of First Instance said an investigation into Lachgar had been opened “in accordance with the law”, following the publication of the photo containing “offensive expressions towards God” and text “containing an offense to the Islamic religion”.
They added: “Appropriate legal measures will be taken in light of the results of the investigation”.
Morocco has blasphemy laws which criminalise publications or media expressions that criticise Islam. The maximum penalty for causing public “outrage” for criticising Islam is five years and/or a fine.
‘Allah is lesbian’ post triggers calls for activist to be stoned
Betty Lachgar is a well-known Moroccan advocate for the rights of women and LGBT people.
She posted the photo on X at the end of July in response to an accusation that she ‘provokes’ people by saying Allah does not exist.
Her post said in French: “You tire us with your sanctimoniousness, your accusations.
“Yes, Islam, like any religious ideology, is FASCIST. PHALLOCRATIC AND MISOGYNISTIC”.
Yesterday, Lachgar said on X she has received “thousands of sexist insults, rape and death threats, calls for murder, stoning, etc” over her ‘Allah is lesbian’ t-shirt.
In 2009, Lachgar co-founded MALI (Alternative Movement for Individual Liberties), which in the same year held a picnic at Ramadan to contest Morocco’s law forbidding eating in public during this period, in which Muslims traditionally fast. MALI activists involved were held and interrogated for several days.
“Blasphemy laws have no place anywhere”
Lachgar is scheduled to speak at a UK feminist conference, FiLiA2025, in Brighton in October.
FiLiA CEO Lisa-Marie Taylor called for her immediate release.
She said: “We are proud to platform women who speak truth to power — including those who challenge and criticise religion — because this is, fundamentally, a feminist issue.
“Silencing women for ‘blasphemy’ is a violation of their human rights and an attack on women’s freedom to think, speak, and live without fear”.
The NSS also called for Lachgar’s release. NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: “Blasphemy laws have no place anywhere.
“Freedom of expression must include freedom to criticise religion – even when that means offending religious sentiments.
“We call for Lachgar to be immediately released without charge and for Morocco to put an end to its draconian blasphemy laws.”
The NSS will also be presenting at FiLiA2025 on the issue of misogyny in religious charities.
Update 13/08: Lachgar has been prosecuted and will now face trial.
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