 | |
| | |
 |
  | |
 The six men were sentenced to between four and ten months jail (File) |
RABAT (AFP)
A court in northern Morocco has sentenced six Moroccans to between four and ten months in prison for "homosexuality", one of the detained men's lawyers told AFP Wednesday.
The harshest penalty was given to Fouad Friret, who was ordered to serve 10 months in prison and pay 1,000 dirhams (100 euros, 150 dollars) for the crimes of homosexuality and selling alcohol illegally, his lawyer Mohamed Sebbar said.
Homosexuality carries a maximum three-year prison sentence in Morocco.
Sebbar said the verdict, delivered Monday in the northern town of Ksar El Kebir, was unfair.
"The homosexual act that the six were accused of was not proven, there were no witnesses, nor was there neither date nor place of the supposed act," he said.
The issue dates back to November 18, when a private party was organized in Ksar El Kebir, reported in the press as a "gay marriage".
On November 23, numerous Islamist militants took part in a violent rally against homosexuality in the town.
Protesters clashed with police, looted a jewelry store supposedly belonging to one of the participants of the private party, and ravaged the home of one of the party organizers who fled to the police station.
1 comment:
This is symptomatic of a harsher attitude towards homosexuality in Morocco. Even tourists aren't immune - a French guy was sentenced to 12 months for "corrupting youth" for being found in bed with an 18 year old a few months ago. In one particular town in Morocco (which has seen the murder of 4 gay foreigners in the past 3 years) the police patrol cruising spots, watch out for tourists and when they walk off with a Moroccan, follow them to the tourist's villa or hotel, then arrest the Moroccan and warn the tourist not to pick up boys.
More and more women are wearing the full niqab, much to my amazement, as this has never been a Moroccan tradition. One might see 2 or 3 women totally covered a day now; 5 years ago, none. Yes, headscarfs and face coverings, but never this disgusting gauze over the eyes.
Morocco's kindly and inclusive Islam is being corrupted by outside influences and the authorities need to deal with this.
Post a Comment