Moroccan feminist activist Ibtissame Lachgar SCREENSHOT OF IBTISSAME LACHGAR'S X ACCOUNT
A Moroccan court on Monday, October 6, upheld a 30-month prison sentence for feminist Ibtissame Lachgar over blasphemy charges, an Agence France-Presse journalist at the court said. Lachgar was arrested in August after sparking an uproar for posting online a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt with the word "Allah" in Arabic, followed by "is lesbian." The 50-year-old clinical psychologist known for her rights activism in Morocco was initially sentenced last month to 30 months in prison and fined 50,000 dirhams ($5,500).
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Moroccan feminist activist Ibtissame 'Betty' Lachgar faces prosecution for 'insulting Islam'
Her defense team is set to appeal the sentence again before a higher court, said one of her lawyers, Ghizlane Mamouni. They will also submit a request to transform her sentence to an "alternate penalty," she added. Under Moroccan law, such penalties could include house arrest or public service. Lachgar's lawyers had previously requested her release on medical grounds, saying she needed to receive treatment for cancer.
