The National Secular Society has urged the ambassador of Morocco to push for the release of a campaigner in pre-trial detention for ‘offending Islam’.
The NSS has written to Hakim Hajoui expressing ‘extreme concern’ over the arrest of Moroccan human rights activist Ibitssam ‘Betty’ Lachgar. Lachgar was arrested earlier this month after she posted a photo of herself on social media wearing a t-shirt with the slogan “Allah is lesbian”.
The public prosecutor at the Rabat Court of First Instance said an investigation into Lachgar had been opened following the publication of the photo containing “offensive expressions towards God” and text “containing an offense to the Islamic religion”.
The NSS has also called on the ambassador to work to “repeal Morocco’s laws which restrict speech about Islam”. Article 267(5) of the Moroccan Criminal Code criminalises anyone “who offends the Islamic religion”. The maximum penalty for causing public “outrage” by criticising Islam is five years and/or a fine.
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”.
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.
According to Le Monde, the harassment campaign against Lachgar was spearheaded by the extremist, anti-feminist ‘Moorish movement’.
The NSS said arresting and prosecuting Lachgar after she received threats is “a form of victim blaming which will encourage extremists to harass and abuse others”.
Lachgar is understood to still be imprisoned. She may be incarcerated until her trial, which is scheduled for August 27th.
According to a petition apparently created by feminist group Amazons of Avignon, Lachgar is a cancer survivor requiring treatment and her physical condition is described as “fragile”.
The petition says prison conditions in Morocco are “very harsh”, and that Lachgar was subjected to sexual violence during a previous arrest. The petition has gained nearly 2,800 signatures.
NSS: Laws which restrict free speech around religion “can never be compatible with democracy or human rights”
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: “Offending people, including on religious grounds, should never be a crime.
“In all countries, advancing human rights has required confronting and criticising religious beliefs which undermine those rights. Laws which restrict freedom to criticise or ridicule religion can never be compatible with democracy or human rights.
“We therefore urge the Moroccan authorities to immediately release Ibitissam Lachgar, for all charges against her to be dropped, and for Morocco’s blasphemy laws to be repealed.”