HANAN HARITE

Morocco- A 11-year-old girl was subjected to gang rape in Morocco last year. Three men were arrested for raping the girl. The men have been sentenced to two years in prison. The court decision has sparked anger in the country. For years, the “light prison sentences” in rape and sexual assault cases have been discussed and criticized in the country. After the last court decision, many human rights activists and women took to the streets to denounce the court decision, saying the perpetrators are awarded.

‘We will break the chains of reaction’

Activists of the Spring of Dignity, a coalition of Moroccan feminist associations, held a protest outside the Rabat Court of Appeal on Wednesday, April 5, to condemn the light prison sentences given to the perpetrators of crimes against women and girls such as violence, rape and sexual assault and demand better legal protection for women and girls. The women participating in the protest chanted slogans such as, “No to rape of minors”, “No to impunity”, “No to discriminatory laws, no to sexual harassment”, “The judiciary is here and where is the justice?” and “We will break the chains of reaction”.

One of the protesters, Khadija Zgheighi, member of the Chaml Association for Family and Women, thinks that the court decision in the case of the rape of the 11-year-old girl is an unfair decision, adding, “Instead of standing by the victims of rape, the judiciary protects the perpetrators, awards them with impunity. We cannot remain silent against this unjust decision. We oppose injustice.”

‘The court decision shocks everyone in Morocco’

Human rights activist Zahira Bouhbran also participated in the protest. “The court decision shocks everyone in Morocco. A 11-year-old girl was brutally raped by a group of adults, which led to her pregnancy. She became a mother when she was just 11. Such decision encourages the perpetrators of rape and sexual harassment against children. We will continue to take to the streets to protest this unjust decision.”

Severe punishments are needed

Najat Al –Razi, a member of the Spring of Dignity, also thinks the prison sentence only encourages the perpetrators. “Without severe punishments for crimes against women, gender-based violence cannot end. The current laws must be amended to ensure women’s access to justice. More severe punishments should be given to the perpetrators of crimes against women and children in order not to encourage them.”