Feminist activist sent to prison for ‘Allah is lesbian’ T-shirt - Morocco

What’s the bounds of that?

You wouldn’t protest and get arrested for free speech. Is there anything you would protest and get arrested for?
Would you for the vote?
Would you against child marriage?
Would you against genocide?

Because some people wouldn’t, a lot wouldn’t, possibly most. Many say they would who wouldn’t.

Everyone thinks they would stand up to tyranny and wouldn’t. And that isn’t a surprise. The surprise is saying that someone else shouldn’t.

Surprised at anyone defending this arrest. How depressing.

Exactly. Incredible hypocrisy. Even if he HAD known what the law was, which I v much doubt, I can't believe people are defending it as 'Another country, their place, their rules.' Cultural relativism gone much too far...🙄

A lot of these 'i love going to Dubai on holiday' types were defending his imprisonment 😭😭, saying welp thats the law there, gotta obey it

But they will scream about getting a parking ticket in the uk on their badly parked suv 🙄🙄

Weird group of people

Morocco is quite moderate apparently, according to the article

Then again, moderate in comparison to Saudi Arabia doesnt mean much

So I can see that she is trying to bring about change for gays and lesbians

Maybe Morocco will become more tolerant, and repeal some of the anti same sex couple laws and lead the way for liberalism there

I'm getting older 😭😭 so don't feel incensed by this injustice like I wouldve done during my student days

But I do see what she is trying to do. Hopefully the appeal will go her way. 2.5 years is a lot

Nor would I! But I'm glad there are people who do. It's like unjust laws anywhere, someone has to start & it's somewhat easier then for others to follow, hopefully..

I love that book, as you might have guessed 🤣 What do you think of it?

Margaret Attwood has written a lot of good books, it's a shame quite a few people only know The Handmaid's Tale. Imo The Blind Assassin, Oryx & Crake & Cat's Eye were all good.

@AliasGrace47 im currently reading Alias Grace

Well, it’s certainly not a decision I would make.

Just a FYI
Being alone with a man can get one arrested there.

The Idea that there should be ony one way to worship is imo a key driver in removing any chance of education from afghan women. Keeping women uneducated removes a drive for change.

Women who protest with small things and are repressed by the State show the power inbalance as (in most cases) they risk more.

I'm not.

Remember that anyone can post on this board. We can't stop them unless they break Mumsnet rules of engagement, and in most cases people don't want to stop them; they'd rather have a discussion.
We get posters who are neither gender critical nor feminist, and a few of them are here purely to annoy.

Yes, I think quite a few people commenting probably thought she was a foreigner walking in. I wish they'd read the article properly!

Still, I do think that it's worrying how people are seemingly defending blasphemy laws. It reminds me of Markus Fakana, the 18yo who was imprisoned in Dubai for consensual sex with a 17yo. Quite a few posts on threads about it were defending the imprisonment and seemed unconcerned by how draconian the law was.. (Luckily Markus is free now).

Sometimes I wonder if it's an effect of fundamentalist propaganda. I'm probs over suspicious, - otoh a lot of Western people seem brainwashed by Hamas. We know for instance they are trying to influence opinion by funding Middle Eastern studies uni courses in America (funding via sympathetic countries,, obvs not directly from Hamas)

I think it's a valid and interesting political move and she surely fully expected to be arrested.

The point, I expect, is to create a significant court case which defines the limits of free speech in relation to blasphemy laws.

What the courts will decide, who knows, but this is one way contested issues in a society are dealt with.

I don't think it's appropriate for outsiders and visitors to do these things while in a differernt country. It muddies the waters as well as being rather paternalistic in many cases.

Thanks! I must get on w work, but couldn't leave such infuriating responses unanswered. People should think twice before condoning blasphemy laws and condemning peaceful protest, surprised that needs to be said!

Even the concept of “offending Islam” is wrong headed. What they mean is offended muslims. It shows a lack of philosophical introspection imo. In the UK (at the moment) there is no law against offending a religion as a religion cannot legally be a party (I don’t know the correct legal terms). You can’t sue a religion for example, you can sue institutions or people.

I imagine she fully knows what would happen and she is drumming up support for the freedom of expression. I wish her well.

The Iranian regime released Ahoo Daryae (who protested the hijab laws by removing all of her clothes) probably because of the publicity. It would be good to get a similar result.

I feel like the feminist cavalry has arrived. Thanks @AliasGrace47

Yes, an even weirder that on a forum that's normally suspicious of Islam, people are defending draconian blasphemy laws!

Have we forgotten the suffragettes? Or MLK, Mandela & Gandhi's movements...? 🤦‍♀️

She's not a visitor. She's a MOROCCAN woman, campaigning in her own country for women's rights.

2 1/2 years for wearing a t-shirt in an online photo, not even in public! That is crazy.

'Need removing from society', 'public menace' 'think twice before being so insulting and narcissistic' - very aggressive language to describe a woman wearing a T shirt.

Do you really believe Moroccans are so delicate and fragile that this woman is a danger to them?

May I ask if you are a Muslim?

She was making a deliberate protest. A brave woman.

Do you support this blasphemy law?

I doubt she's stupid. She is deliberately protesting for free speech, esp around controversial issues to do w lesbian rights and feminism.

Why should she have 'known better'? Why aren't you applauding her courage at protesting these unjust laws? So women should just shut up and know their place then?

Do you agree w blasphemy laws then?

Free speech must allow offence or it is nothing.