Ibtissame Lachgar, a 50-year-old Moroccan feminist and clinical psychologist, has been sentenced to 30 months behind bars after being found guilty of “offending Islam.”
The charge stems from a photo she shared on social media while wearing a T-shirt bearing the phrase “Allah is lesbian.” The court also imposed a fine of 50,000 dirhams (roughly $5,500).
Lachgar was arrested in August and convicted by a Rabat court in early September. Her defense has stated plans to appeal.
Rights groups have denounced the ruling, arguing it represents a serious restriction on freedom of expression.
Lachgar co-founded the Mouvement alternatif pour les libertés individuelles (MALI), an organization advocating for women’s rights, personal freedoms, and LGBTQ rights in Morocco. She has a medical condition, which her lawyers say requires ongoing treatment; a request for pretrial medical release was denied.