Moroccan Woman Arrested for Insulting Quran

23-year-old Moroccan-Italian female citizen sentenced to three and a half years in prison in Morocco for “insulting Quran” on Facebook.

Many don't know that blasphemy would lead you behind bars in many countries, including Morocco. According to the Moroccan Penal Code 267(5), anyone "who offends the Islamic religion or the monarchy, or incites territorial integrity" is liable to face stiff fines and prison time. Moroccan law enforcement has arrested several people over the past year for alleged insults to Islam.

A 23-year-old resident of Italy posted what she called "Surat Whiskey" on her Facebook account, distorting Surat Al-Kawthar Surat in 2019 before leaving for Italy. Not knowing that the Moroccan authorities had issued a nationwide search warrant against her so that when she landed in Morocco to visit her family and spend the summertime over there, as many Moroccan immigrants do worldwide, she was arrested by Moroccan police. She was put on trial and sentenced to 3 years behind bars and a $6000 fine with the charge of "offending the Islamic religion through publications and distributing it to the public through electronic and audio-visual means that fulfill the condition of publicity."

Many on social media were quick to comment on the situation, with some claiming the woman had the "right to exercise intellectual criticisms" of the Quran's verses. Others were critical of what they described as the woman's unacceptable attitude, condemning her for insulting many people's religious beliefs around the world via her Facebook posts. 

The girl remains in prison for the next three years under one of the Moroccan laws that criminalize freedom of thought and expression, such as article 267(5). Her father, who paid her a visit in prison, spoke anonymously to a Moroccan media outlet and told them that she is broken behind bars by this harsh sentence. A sentence was based on the complaint submitted to Moroccan authorities by a Moroccan religious association and has ruined his daughter's future. While Moroccans debate on social media about her right to express herself and vilify her as an example for anyone who dares to think about insulting the Quran, I am trying to figure out what would happen to Madonna if she was Moroccan when she launched her controversial song "Like A Prayer," understanding how blessed she is to be born in the right place, America, the Moroccan drama continues…

 By Simo bb