On 3 September, Moroccan feminist and human rights defender Ibtissame “Betty” Lachgar was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined for blasphemy. Her crime was nothing more than wearing a T-shirt that read: Allah is Lesbian.
Betty is not an anonymous dissident. She is a 50-year-old Moroccan woman who has spent more than 15 years defending women’s rights, LGBTQ+ dignity, and freedom of belief through the MALI movement (Mouvement Alternatif pour les Libertés Individuelles). She has done so with unflinching courage in the face of death threats, sexual harassment, and abuse. Those who target her with hatred have often done so openly, even tagging the police—yet they face no consequences. Instead, Betty is the one behind bars.
Inhumane Punishment
Betty is a cancer survivor in urgent need of surgery this month. Without it, doctors have warned she risks partial amputation of her arm. Rather than providing medical care, the Moroccan state has placed her in solitary confinement, where her health is weakening and deteriorating by the day. This judicial treatment is not just disproportionate—it is inhumane. Solitary confinement combined with denial of medical care constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment under international law.
The Broader Danger
Blasphemy laws are not about protecting faith—they are about controlling thought. Betty’s case shows how such laws are used to silence dissent, embolden abusers, and criminalise those who live and believe differently.
Morocco presents itself as a liberal, tourist-friendly nation. Yet Betty’s sentence reveals a darker reality: freedom of thought, conscience, and belief remain perilously fragile.
What Must Be Done
We call on the international community, human rights organisations, and progressive voices everywhere to:
- Demand Betty’s immediate release.
- Condemn her solitary confinement and denial of healthcare.
- Challenge Morocco’s blasphemy laws as incompatible with democracy, human dignity, and the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief—including the right to dissent and to live free from religious control.
Call to Action
Betty’s case is not just about one woman. It is about whether the world will allow people to be imprisoned, silenced, and denied healthcare for daring to think differently.
We urge all readers to:
- Share her story widely.
- Raise it with governments, media, and human rights organisations.
- Visit the campaign website, Free Betty, to find resources, petitions, and template letters.
Betty is threatened, not a threat. Her survival depends on international pressure and solidarity.
