Home > Morocco > Moroccan Journalist’s Trial Sparks Debate on Personal Freedoms and Abortion Laws
Moroccan Journalist’s Trial Sparks Debate on Personal Freedoms and Abortion Laws
Thursday 12 September 2019, by
The establishment of a "serene and structured internal dialogue" on the issue of individual freedoms. This is the call launched by the elected member of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD), Amina Mae El Aïnine on her Facebook page. This is in reaction to the opening, on Monday, September 9, of the trial of journalist Hajar Raïssouni prosecuted for illegal abortion and extramarital relations.
Amina Mae El Ainine is the second elected member of the Party to react to the arrest of Hajar Raïssouni, the 28-year-old journalist, who was detained for illegal abortion and extramarital relations.
According to TelQuel, it was in reaction to the opening of her trial last Monday, postponed to September 16, that Amina Mae El Aïnine displayed her support. "After examining the medical report, I announce my absolute solidarity with the journalist Hajar Raïssouni and I promise to attend her wedding," the newspaper reports, citing the words of the elected member.
For the deputy, the "Hajar" case is an opportunity for Morocco to relaunch the public debate on provisions of the Penal Code that infringe on privacy and reduce the scope of individual freedoms.
The elected member believes that certain provisions of the Penal Code "need to be thoroughly reviewed in light of the principles of rights and freedoms". For Amina Mae El Ainine, these provisions crystallize what remains of tensions between a "modernist bloc" and a "conservative bloc" that could unite their forces in the context of "a great battle for democracy, dignity and development".
Amina Mae El Ainine, who lost her position as 7th Vice-President of the House of Representatives following the leak of photos showing her without her veil in Paris at the beginning of 2019, intends to work for the establishment of this dialogue.
TelQuel recalls that at the first hearing held on September 9, the request for the release of Hajar Raïssouni, after 10 days of incarceration, was rejected by the judge.