Moroccan police have arrested activist Ibtissam Lachgar after she posted a photo on social media wearing a shirt with phrases offensive to God, accompanied by a caption authorities say insulted Islam, the public prosecutor’s office in Rabat said Sunday.
In a statement, the prosecutor said it ordered a judicial investigation into the case and, given its urgency, placed Lachgar in police custody in accordance with the law. The probe is being led by the National Brigade of Judicial Police.
The arrest follows an outcry on social media, where the photo sparked widespread criticism and calls for action.
The case is being pursued under Article 267-5 of Morocco’s penal code, which penalizes insults to Islam, the monarchy, or incitement against the country’s territorial integrity with prison terms of six months to two years and fines ranging from 20,000 to 200,000 dirhams.
The article provides for harsher penalties, two to five years in prison and fines between 50,000 and 500,000 dirhams, if such acts are committed publicly through speeches, threats in public places, posters, or electronic means.
Authorities said legal measures will be taken once the investigation is complete.
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