This archive report was first published on 10 September 2019.
Published on September 10, 2019, hundreds of people protested outside a court in Rabat, Morocco, as the trial of Moroccan journalist Hajar Raissouni was postponed.
Raissouni, 28, a writer for the Arabic-language newspaper Akhbar Al-Yaoum, risks up to two years in prison if found guilty under Morocco's penal code, which bars sex before marriage and abortion, except in cases where the mother's life is in danger.
The protesters shouted 'Freedom for Hajar' and 'Our society is in danger' while brandishing placards reading 'My body, my freedom' and 'No, to the criminalisation of sex between consenting adults.'
According to official figures, Moroccan courts tried more than 14,500 people for 'debauchery' last year, 3,048 for adultery, 170 for homosexuality, and 73 for having abortions.
However, NGOs say between 600 to 800 women have clandestine abortions every day in the country.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have joined social media users in calling for Raissouni's release.
"Instead of intimidating Hajar Raissouni by prosecuting her on unjust charges, the authorities should immediately and unconditionally release her," said Amnesty's regional director Heba Morayef.
