Health Deterioration of Ibtissame Lachgar Raises Alarm
Rights organizations, alongside the legal representative of imprisoned Moroccan feminist Ibtissame Lachgar, are sounding the alarm regarding her rapidly declining health condition due to inadequate medical care while incarcerated. Currently, Lachgar is serving a 30-month prison sentence after being convicted of offending Islam, a charge stemming from her wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the Arabic word for "Allah", accompanied by the phrase "is lesbian". This provocative statement, a part of her advocacy for women's rights and LGBTQ+ equality, has placed her in severe conflict with the Moroccan authorities.
Her attorney, Ghizlane Mamouni, reveals that Lachgar, who is affectionately known as Betty, is now in urgent need of surgery, with the potential for life-threatening complications looming over her situation. Mamouni states, "The only option today, given that the appeal is pending and that this is holding up the request for an alternative sentence, is in fact a royal pardon on humanitarian and health grounds." This plea underscores the gravity of Lachgar's health issues, as medical professionals who have assessed her case express concern over the risk of serious complications, including the possibility of death.
Lachgar, a survivor of bone cancer who has a prosthetic limb between her left shoulder and elbow, has reportedly sustained a fracture during her time in prison. Her sister, Siham Lachgar, has voiced concerns about her sister's deteriorating condition since her incarceration. Hakim Sikouk, the head of the Rabat branch of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, corroborates these concerns, stating that her health is in a "very worrying state". He further highlights that there is a significant risk that her prosthetic arm may require amputation due to the lack of necessary medical interventions, illustrating the dire conditions of her imprisonment.
A committee of supporters has been actively raising alarms about her health since March, now calling for immediate medical attention and her release. Lachgar's commitment to advocating for women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom of expression has consistently placed her in direct opposition to the Moroccan government's stance on these issues, making her case emblematic of the broader struggles for human rights within the country.
As reported by africanews.com.
