"A Moroccan court on Wednesday sentenced feminist and LGBTQ+ activist Ibtissame Lachgar to 30 months in prison for blasphemy, her lawyer Naima El Geullaf said. Lachgar was found guilty of violating part of Morocco's criminal code that prohibits offending the monarchy or Islam. The court sentenced Lachgar to 30 months in prison and imposed a fine of 50,000 dirhams ($5,500), said defense lawyer Mohamed Khattab."
"Lachgar, 50, is a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Alternative Movement for Individuals Freedoms known as MALI. She is a prominent activist known for vocally standing up for women and LGBTQ+ communities in Morocco. The activist was arrested last month after posting online a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt with the word "Allah" in Arabic followed by "is lesbian.""
"During the Wednesday hearing, Lachgar was wearing a headscarf and she appeared fatigued. She argued that the message on the T-shirt she wore was political and had no intention of offending Islam. Her defense team agreed with her. "God is not only for Muslims, but also for Christians and Jews. I don't see any offense to Islam in that publication," lawyer El Guellaf told the court. "I am Muslim myself, and I don't feel offended by it.""
Ibtissame Lachgar, a 50-year-old clinical psychologist and co-founder of MALI, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined 50,000 dirhams after being convicted under Moroccan law prohibiting offending the monarchy or Islam. The conviction followed a social media post showing her wearing a T-shirt reading "Allah is lesbian." Lachgar and her defense maintained the message was political and not intended to offend Islam and plan to appeal on grounds of freedom of expression. Rights groups called the sentence shocking and an attack on free expression. Lachgar advocates for women, LGBTQ+ rights and decriminalizing sex outside marriage.
Read at www.dw.com
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