Moroccan Blasphemy Trial Exposes Clash Between Freedom and Authoritarian Control

In Rabat, the case of Ibtissam Lachgar—a Moroccan feminist and activist charged with blasphemy—has become a stark reminder of how governments can weaponize vague laws to crush dissent and suppress freedoms fundamental to any sovereign nation. Lachgar faces up to five years behind bars simply for posting a photo wearing a shirt that reads “Allah is Lesbian,” an act those in power have deemed illegal under Morocco’s stringent criminal code. Her attorneys recently pressed for her provisional release, citing the urgent deterioration of her health as she battles cancer amid inadequate medical care while imprisoned. This is not just an...