Morocco: Journalist’s pardon for ‘abortion’ reflects societal split

Morocco: Journalist's pardon for 'abortion' reflects societal split
Hajar Raissouni was jailed for an abortion she has always denied. Her pardon this week was a small victory for women's rights activists across the region who, despite recent gains, still face serious resistance.

Date 19.10.2019
Author Tom Allinson, Imane Mellouk

After Morocco's king pardoned her for the crimes of having an "illegal abortion" and premarital sex , journalist Hajar Raissouni on Wednesday made a victory sign with her fingers. The moment has come to symbolize a win for her and civil rights activists, who have campaigned for her release.

King Mohammed VI overturned her one-year sentence and conviction, which was handed down on September 30 in order to "preserve the future of the two fiancés who planned to found a family in line with our religious and legal precepts, despite the error they made," the justice ministry said.

continued: https://www.dw.com/en/morocco-journalists-pardon-for-abortion-reflects-societal-split/a-50887965

Moroccan Journalist Jailed For Abortion Freed After Royal Pardon

Moroccan Journalist Jailed For Abortion Freed After Royal Pardon

By Sophie Pons
10/16/19

Moroccan journalist Hajar Raissouni who was sentenced to one year in jail for an "illegal abortion" and sexual relations outside marriage walked free on Wednesday, shortly after being granted a royal pardon.

In a case that had provoked a storm of protests from rights groups, the justice ministry said the 28-year-old woman was released on a pardon issued by King Mohammed VI.

Continued: https://www.ibtimes.com/moroccan-journalist-jailed-abortion-freed-after-royal-pardon-2847379

16.10.2019

Amnesty International

arresting women for abortion

Moroccan Journalist Jailed for an Abortion She Says She Never Had

Moroccan Journalist Jailed for an Abortion She Says She Never Had

By Amanda Arnold
Oct. 1, 2019

On Monday, a 28-year-old Moroccan journalist was sentenced to a year in prison for an abortion that she denies ever getting, in a case that critics have condemned as part of a concerted effort to suppress journalists’ critical coverage of the government, the Guardian reports.

Over the past month, the prosecution of Hajar Raissouni — as well as of her fiancé, Rifaat al-Amin — has sparked nationwide outrage. On August 31, Raissouni and al-Amin were arrested after leaving a gynecologist’s office in the capital of Morocco, where abortion is illegal in nearly all cases. Raissouni claims she wasn’t there to terminate a pregnancy; instead, she says she was visiting the doctor to get a blood clot removed. During the trial, a lawyer for her doctor provided medical evidence regarding Raissouni’s hormone levels that further demonstrated she had not undergone an abortion.

Continued: https://www.thecut.com/2019/10/moroccan-journalist-jailed-abortion-she-denies-having.html

01.10.2019

jailing women for abortion

Moroccan journalist gets year in jail over alleged abortion

Moroccan journalist gets year in jail over alleged abortion
Hajar Raissouni denied having an abortion and denounced the trial as being politically motivated.

30 Sept 2019

A court in Morocco has sentenced journalist Hajar Raissouni to a year in jail for having had an "illegal" abortion and sexual relations outside of marriage.

The 28-year-old's Sudanese fiance and gynaecologist on Monday were also handed one and two-year jail sentences, respectively, while an anaesthetist and medical assistance were given suspended sentences of a year and eight months, also respectively.

Continued: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/moroccan-journalist-year-jail-alleged-abortion-190930183757463.html

Moroccan Journalist Sentenced to Prison for Abortion and Premarital Sex

Moroccan Journalist Sentenced to Prison for Abortion and Premarital Sex

By Aida Alami
Sept. 30, 2019

RABAT, Morocco — A Moroccan judge on Monday found a journalist and her fiancé guilty of having premarital sex and obtaining an abortion, and imposed prison sentences on them and a doctor convicted of performing the abortion, in a case that critics have denounced as a thinly veiled bid to suppress critical coverage of the government.

The journalist, Hajar Raissouni, 28, who works for the independent daily newspaper Akhbar Al Yaoum, and her fiancé, Rifaat al-Amin, were arrested on Aug. 31 as they were leaving a gynecologist’s office in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/30/world/africa/morocco-abortion-sex-hajar-raissouni.html

Moroccan journalist jailed for abortion that she says never happened

Moroccan journalist jailed for abortion that she says never happened
Critics say Hajar Raissouni’s one-year sentence is a crackdown on criticism government

Ruth Michaelson
Mon 30 Sep 2019

A Moroccan journalist has been sentenced to a year in prison on charges of having an illegal abortion and premarital sex, in a trial observers say was concocted to crack down on criticism of the government.

A Rabat court sentenced journalist Hajar Raissouni to one year in prison, on charges of “having an illegal abortion and sexual relations outside marriage”. Her fiancee, Prof Rifaat al-Amin was given a one-year sentence for alleged complicity.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/30/moroccan-journalist-hajar-raissouni-jailed-abortion

SOLIDARITY REQUEST: MOROCCO – Moroccan journalist arrested for abortion and sex outside marriage

SOLIDARITY REQUEST: MOROCCO – Moroccan journalist arrested for abortion and sex outside marriage

by International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortio
Sept 10, 2019

Hajar Raissouni, a Moroccan journalist, age 28, was arrested by six undercover officers along with her fiancé leaving a gynaecologists’ office on 31 August after being accused of “sex outside marriage” and “consenting to have an abortion”, according to Amnesty MENA region. Other media reported she was accused of actually having had an “illegal abortion”, which both she and the doctor deny. The doctor and two of his staff, and anaesthetist and medical assistant who treated her, were also arrested. The doctor is accused of regularly providing abortion services and faces up to 10 years in prison. This has caused outraged across Moroccan media and social media, according to Figaro.

She has been held pending trial, which was set for 9 September 2019 in Rabat, but on that date the trial was postponed until 16 September. The major Arabic-language Akhbar Al-Yaoum for which she works published a medical consultation record proving the “absence of curettage”. She was treated for heavy bleeding, possibly a miscarriage, and not for an abortion, said Saad Sahli, her lawyer according to different reports. Her fiancé is a Sudanese academic, researcher and activist. One report says they had been married in a religious ceremony at her family home, and another that they were due to marry on 14 September.

Continued: https://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/solidarity-request-morocco-journalist-arrested-for-abortion/

Moroccan journalist denies charges of illegal abortion

Moroccan journalist denies charges of illegal abortion

Byamira el masaiti, Associated Press
RABAT, Morocco — Sep 9, 2019

A judge ruled that a Moroccan journalist remain in custody after she appeared Monday in a packed courtroom on charges that she had an illegal abortion after becoming pregnant while single.

The case has gained attention among journalists and rights groups.

The 28-year-old Hajar Raissouni has been jailed since Aug. 31. She denies having had an abortion and claims she was married to her Sudanese fiancé under Islamic law. The fiancé, a gynecologist and two others also were jailed.

Continued: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/moroccan-journalist-denies-charges-illegal-abortion-65489935

09.09.2019

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Akhbar Al-Yaoum

Amnesty International

Fatiha Chtatou

Hajar Raissouni

jailing women for abortion

Moroccan journalist arrested on abortion charges

Moroccan journalist arrested on abortion charges
Rights groups urge authorities to release Hajar Raissouni

Sep 6, 2019
AFP

Rights groups urged Moroccan authorities on Friday to immediately release a journalist arrested on charges of having an "illegal abortion" -- an act her lawyers deny.

Hajar Raissouni writes for the Arabic-language daily Akhbar Al-Yaoum, which has a history of run-ins with the authorities.

Continued; https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/moroccan-journalist-arrested-on-abortion-charges.733657