LGBT rights in Morocco

Law against gays

Article 489 of the Penal Code of Morocco criminalizes “lewd or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex.” [http://www.gaywired.com/article.cfm?section=123&id=17549] Homosexuality is illegal in Morocco and can be punished with anything from 6 months to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of 120 to 1200 Dirhams. Nevertheless, the law is seldom enforcedDubious|date=March 2008, and homosexual activity is fairly common, especially in the holiday resortsFact|date=February 2007. Relationships are often visibly displayed and money often plays a role where sex is involved. In the community homosexuality remains a taboo and is considered immoral.

Protection Based on Sexual Orientation in Law

There is no anti-discrimination law. Even though many of the citizens of Morocco may be liberal-leaning, the government is still reluctant toward the issueFact|date=February 2007.

Recognition of same sex couples

There is no legal recognition of same-sex couples.

Gay life in the country

Morocco has a macho culture, with rigid gender rolesFact|date=February 2007. There is quite a large gay scene, much of which revolves around the European expatriate community, especially in Marrakech and – to a lesser extent – Agadir and TangierFact|date=February 2007. In many situations, the expatriates will "keep" a young MoroccanFact|date=February 2007. Police have been known to arrest Moroccans seen walking with Europeans late at night on charges of prostitution, with no penalties for the European.

A court in Ksar el-Kbir, a small city about 120 kilometers south of Tangiers, convicted 6 men on December 10, 2007 of violating article 489 of Morocco’s penal code. However, according to lawyers for the defendants, the prosecution failed to present any evidence that the men actually had engaged in the prohibited conduct in the first place.

As of December 17, 2007, the men have been in jail since they were first arrested by the police between November 23 and 25, 2007, after a video circulated online—including on YouTube—purporting to show a private party, allegedly including the men, taking place in Ksar el-Kbir on November 18. Press reports claimed the party was a “gay marriage.” Following the arrests, hundreds of men and women marched through the streets of Ksar el-Kbir, denouncing the men’s alleged actions and calling for their punishment. [http://www.gaywired.com/article.cfm?section=123&id=17549]

ee also

* Human rights in Morocco

Resources

* Puterbaugh, Geoff. "Africa, North." [http://williamapercy.com/pub-EncyHom.htm Encyclopedia of Homosexuality.] Dynes, Wayne R. (ed.), Garland Publishing, 1990. pp. 19-22.
* [http://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vincenzo_Patan%C3%A8&action=edit Patanè, Vincenzo] . [http://www.deriveapprodi.org/estesa.php?id=59 Arabi e noi.] DeriveApprodi, 2002. [http://www.gaymaroc.net LGBT Moroccan Web Portal]