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| Morocco judge acquits girls accused of homosexuality Morocco judge acquits girls accused of homosexuality | |
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| A judge in Morocco has acquitted two teenage girls on trial for alleged homosexuality after they were reportedly caught kissing, one of their three lawyers said. | A judge in Morocco has acquitted two teenage girls on trial for alleged homosexuality after they were reportedly caught kissing, one of their three lawyers said. |
| The 16-year-old and 17-year-old were arrested in October and detained for a week on charges of taking part in a “licentious or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex”. | The 16-year-old and 17-year-old were arrested in October and detained for a week on charges of taking part in a “licentious or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex”. |
| They were released on bail until their trial but on Friday a judge decided to release them definitively into the custody of their parents, according to defence lawyer Rachid al-Ghorfi. | They were released on bail until their trial but on Friday a judge decided to release them definitively into the custody of their parents, according to defence lawyer Rachid al-Ghorfi. |
| They were not sanctioned under article 489 of the penal code, which criminalises what it calls “sexual deviancy” between two people of the same gender, he added. | They were not sanctioned under article 489 of the penal code, which criminalises what it calls “sexual deviancy” between two people of the same gender, he added. |
| If found guilty, they could have been jailed for up to three years. | If found guilty, they could have been jailed for up to three years. |
| The girls – who had been caught allegedly kissing and hugging on the roof of a house in Marrakech – denied being in a sexual relationship and said they were only friends. | The girls – who had been caught allegedly kissing and hugging on the roof of a house in Marrakech – denied being in a sexual relationship and said they were only friends. |
| About 20 human rights groups issued a statement denouncing their arrest and said the girls had been ill-treated from the time of their arrest and throughout the legal proceedings. | About 20 human rights groups issued a statement denouncing their arrest and said the girls had been ill-treated from the time of their arrest and throughout the legal proceedings. |
| Morocco, a country of 35 million people torn between religious conservatism and openness to the west, has seen several controversial cases relating to homosexuality in recent years. | Morocco, a country of 35 million people torn between religious conservatism and openness to the west, has seen several controversial cases relating to homosexuality in recent years. |
| Last month, New York-based Human Rights Watch called on authorities to drop the charges against the girls. | Last month, New York-based Human Rights Watch called on authorities to drop the charges against the girls. |
| Watchdogs including the Moroccan Association of Human Rights, which appointed a lawyer to defend the girls, have repeatedly called for article 489 to be scrapped. | Watchdogs including the Moroccan Association of Human Rights, which appointed a lawyer to defend the girls, have repeatedly called for article 489 to be scrapped. |