"Female advocate for women's rights in Morocco apprehended due to allegations of claiming Allah is a lesbian"
Moroccan Activist Ibtissam Lachgar Detained for Blasphemy
Ibtissam "Betty" Lachgar, a 50-year-old Moroccan human rights and LGBTQ+ activist, is currently in detention in Rabat following her arrest on August 10, 2025. The arrest was prompted by a photo she posted on social media wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Allah is a lesbian" in Arabic calligraphy, which was deemed blasphemous and offensive to Islam by Moroccan authorities [1][2][4].
Lachgar, co-founder of the Alternative Movement for Individual Liberties (MALI), is known for her outspoken feminist and human rights activism. The photo was first displayed at the feminist festival "Women Create!" in London [6]. In her social media post, she criticized Islam as "fascist, phallocratic, and misogynistic," which contributed to the official charges of insulting Islam publicly, including online [2].
The phrase "Allah is a lesbian" has been used elsewhere as a form of satire and religious critique [2]. However, in Morocco, it has led to a blasphemy investigation and potential prison sentence. The Rabat Court of First Instance opened an investigation for “offensive expressions towards God” and insulting the Islamic religion, criminal offenses under Morocco’s blasphemy laws that can carry a prison sentence of up to five years and/or a fine [1][2].
Lachgar's arrest has sparked national and international outcry, with campaigners demanding her release and fueling a debate over freedom of expression, secularism, and legal restrictions on criticizing religion in Morocco [1][5]. Police custody initially lasts 48 hours, after which prosecutors decide on formal prosecution [1]. The case highlights the tension in Morocco between religious sensitivities protected by law and activists pushing for more liberal expression and human rights.
Meanwhile, the feminist festival "Women Create!" continues to support "cancelled and endangered female and feminist artists" [3]. The festival, which took place in London, is a platform for artists like Lachgar who push boundaries and challenge societal norms.
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This case underscores ongoing conflicts in Moroccan society over religious law, individual liberties, and free speech rights.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/morocco-arrests-feminist-activist-betty-lachgar-over-blasphemous-social-media-2021-08-10/ [2] https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/morocco-arrests-feminist-activist-betty-lachgar-over-blasphemous-social-media-post [3] https://www.women-create.co.uk/ [4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/12/moroccan-feminist-activist-arrested-over-blasphemous-social-media-post [5] https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/12/morocco-release-arrested-feminist-activist-betty-lachgar [6] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/01/women-create-festival-london-feminist-art-exhibition [7] https://www.nzz.ch/ (requires enabling JavaScript)
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