Moroccan Man Seeks Asylum After Police Humiliation Over Gender Expression

At 33 years old, he has just announced his intention to apply for asylum in a European country in order to "live as he wishes" without being forced to change "his way of being," reports the EFE agency.

The incident dates back to the night of December 31st after a minor traffic accident in Marrakech. "I stopped the car, but I didn’t want to open the window because I was dressed as a woman and I was afraid because people had gathered at the scene of the accident and the police broke the window and pushed me out," he told EFE.

Instead of protecting him from the crowd, he says, the police took photos of him that they then circulated, as well as images of his personal documents that were then shared on social media.

Originally from the city of Khouribga, Chafiq has lived in Marakech for a few years, where he works as an employee in a private clinic.

"This incident has greatly affected me. I have decided to leave for a European country that respects my sexual orientation. I am like this all the time and I cannot change my way of being," says Chafiq, who served for many years in the Royal Armed Forces (FAR).

"Even an animal cannot be treated this way. My family was not aware of my sexual orientation and now they are in shock."