Moroccan Star’s Rape Conviction Sparks Calls for Legal Reform in Morocco

"My first reaction was: ’it was about time’," said Sara Bakkali, an architect in Rabat, to Middle East Eye. As a Moroccan living in a society where rape culture is normalized and many cases remain unpunished, I think Lamjarred was a good example of someone who has escaped conviction for years because of his fame and connections."

In the eyes of some Moroccan women, Saad Lamjarred’s conviction is a victory for women. "I think it’s a victory for Moroccan women. But at the same time, I think it’s sad that such cases only get the attention they deserve when the victim is privileged, white or Western," said Marwa Rachouk, a Moroccan student in Montpellier, also deploring the avalanche of support the singer receives from other artists or women themselves.

The day after his conviction, the interpreter of Lam3allem received the support of Iraqi-Moroccan actress Mariam Hussein, Moroccan singer Dounia Batma and other celebrities in Lebanon and Syria. "The people and celebrities who defend Lamjarred despite his conviction contribute to violence against women. [...] They contribute to rape culture and promote victim blaming. It’s absolutely vile and disgusting. I’m horrified," said Yasmina Benslimane, a Moroccan human rights activist trained by UN Women and founder of Politics4Her.

This conviction reignites the debate on sexual assaults in Morocco and the fight against gender-based violence. 57% of Moroccan women "say they have suffered at least one act of violence in the previous 12 months," but only 10.5% of victims reported the assault to the authorities, a 2020 UN Women report revealed. This violence persists because of Article 490 of the Moroccan Penal Code which punishes "imprisonment of one month to one year all persons of different sex who, not being united by the bonds of marriage, have sexual relations with each other."

"This article is an obstacle for Moroccan women when they want to go to the police and prosecute someone," denounced Moroccan filmmaker and feminist Sonia Terrab, one of the initiators of the "Moroccan Outlaws" campaign. [...] Even if Morocco enacts many new laws against rape, sexual harassment and violence, if we still have this article, nothing can be done." She therefore calls for its repeal.