Morocco Erupts in Protests Over Arrest of Journalist On Abortion Charges

Rabat: Moroccan rights activists, on Monday, demanded the release of a journalist facing trial on charges of abortion and sex outside marriage, saying her arrest was politically motivated.

Dozens of activists staged a sit-in outside the Rabat court before the first hearing in her trial, chanting: "What a shame freedoms are in danger, what a shame journalism is in danger".

Police detained 28-year-old Hajar Raissouni for 10 days ago along with her fiancé, a doctor, a nurse and another person accused of involvement. Their lawyers deny she had an abortion.

Moroccan activists hold signs in solidarity with the journalist charged with fornication and abortion, during a protest outside the Rabat tribunal, Morocco September 9, 2019. Photo: Reuters/Youssef Boudlal

The activists say the charges against her are part of a crackdown on reporters critical of the government and are also intended to embarrass her uncle, a prominent Islamist leader who has opposed abortion and extramarital sex.

The case has prompted widespread debate on social media in Morocco, a mostly Muslim country, over personal freedoms including sex and privacy, after details of her case were leaked to newspapers.

It has also shone a new light on Morocco's ban on abortion weeks before parliament is due to consider amendments to allow it in cases of rape, incest or malformation of the foetus.

Also read: UP: Journalist Arrested After He Clicked Photos of School Kids Mopping Floor

Morocco's public prosecutor said in a statement that Raissouni's arrest was a legal matter and not connected to her job as a journalist. She was arrested after a visit to the office of a doctor who was under police surveillance for illegal abortions, the prosecutor said.

Raissouni works for the independent newspaper Akhbar al-Youm. Her uncle, Ahmed Raissouni, is a former leader of the Movement for Unity and Reform, a leading Islamist group with ties to the Justice and Development party (PJD) that leads Morocco's governing coalition.

A Moroccan activist holds a poster with an image of Hajar Raissouni outside the Rabat tribunal, Morocco September 9, 2019. Photo: Reuters/Youssef Boudlal

Another uncle, Soulaiman Raissouni, who is editor in chief of Akhbar al-Youm, said she had been singled out and accused the government of "score-settling with a newspaper that disturbs it, and with a family that has never bowed".

A journalist at Akhbar al-Youm, Khaoula Ajaafri, said the penal code was "being used to crack down on critical journalists". The newspaper's manager was recently sentenced to 12 years in prison for rape and human trafficking, which he denied.

The Moroccan Association for Abortion Rights, an activist group, said 600 to 800 abortions take place illegally each day. In 2018, 41 cases were brought over illegal abortions, according to a report released by the prosecutor's office.

"Hajar's case shows that our laws are archaic and incompatible with the transformations that have taken place in our society for decades," said human rights activist Ahmed Assid.

(Reuters)

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.