Berlin Protest Ignites Global Outcry: LGBTQ+ Activist’s Arrest Sparks Freedom of Speech Debate in Morocco

"Femen" chose the date of August 22, dedicated to the World Apostasy Day, to launch an international solidarity campaign. On this occasion, the movement calls for the immediate release of Ibtissame Lachgar. In the eyes of the protesters, the legal proceedings against Ibtissam Lachgar constitute a violation of human rights and individual freedom.

The Moroccan LGBTQ+ rights activist had published a photo of herself wearing a t-shirt displaying a controversial phrase ("Allah is a lesbian") at the end of July. This publication sparked strong reactions on social media in Morocco. In mid-August, she was arrested by the police. She was placed in custody and then in detention. The founder of the alternative movement for individual freedoms (MALI) is "prosecuted for attacking the Islamic religion and placed in detention".

According to Article 267-5 of the Moroccan Penal Code, under which she is being prosecuted, she faces six months to two years in prison for "attacking the Muslim religion". The sentence can be increased to five years in prison if the offense is committed in public, "including by electronic means".

The protesters denounced what they describe as the "impunity" enjoyed by her detractors. They also demand that the Moroccan state provide her with protection instead of prosecuting her legally. Finally, they call on international institutions and human rights organizations to intervene urgently in her case.