The Moroccan Internet user was sentenced on August 15 to two years in prison for an “electronic attack on religion” by the court of first instance
Moroccan justice confirmed Tuesday evening on appeal a heavy prison sentence for an Internet user accused of “undermining the Islamic religion” after having published on Facebook writings deemed offensive, reports the defense to AFP.
“The Khouribga Court of Appeal sentenced Fatima Karim to two years in prison, confirming the judgment at first instance,” said her lawyer, Habib Aadi.
“It’s a very harsh verdict,” he lamented, adding that the appeal in cassation is “still under consideration.”
In detention since mid-July, Fatima Karim, aged 39, was prosecuted for having commented satirically in Arabic on her Facebook page on verses from the Koran and hadiths of the Prophet Mohammed, considered sacred in Muslim tradition.
These publications, probably deleted since his arrest, are no longer available on his account.
The Moroccan internet user was sentenced on August 15 to two years in prison for “electronic attack on religion” by the court of first instance of Oued Zem, 150 km from the megalopolis of Casablanca.
The appeal trial opened on September 6 before being immediately adjourned so that the accused could appear in court.
Before the court of first instance, she asserted her right to freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Moroccan Constitution.
She had also publicly apologized to “anyone who felt offended” by her publications, claiming to have never intended to undermine Islam, the state religion in Morocco.
The proceedings were initiated by the prosecution. Article 267-5 of the Moroccan criminal code, under which Fatima Karim was sentenced, punishes with six months to two years in prison “anyone who undermines the Muslim religion”.
The penalty is likely to be increased to five years in prison if the offense is committed in public – “including by electronic means”.
Human rights defenders denounce this text of law which hinders freedom of expression and whose wording “does not specify the facts which could constitute an attack”.
In June 2021, an Italian-Moroccan was sentenced to three and a half years in prison by the Moroccan justice system, also for “attacking the Muslim religion” after posting satirical sentences on Facebook imitating verses from the Koran.
The young woman was released shortly after, her sentence having been reduced on appeal to a two-month suspended prison sentence, following a protest campaign by human rights defenders.
