Policing One’s Morality

The Moroccan government allowing the sentences of Rifaat al-Amin and Hajar Raissouni to years of incarceration for having premarital sex and receiving an abortion enables the unjustifiable act of policing one’s morality. In the United States, abortion has always been an issue held on by a single thread by those who believe it’s the woman’s choice while others think it’s the woman’s responsibility to conceive that new life. Though there are some restrictions, we are lucky enough to live in a country that allows it’s citizens the freedom to choose. Meanwhile on the other side of the world, countless innocents in Morocco don’t have any say in the matter. On August 31st, 2019, a Moroccan judge found the journalist Hajar Raissouni and her fiance, Rifaat al-Amin guilty of not only an accused abortion, but also having premarital sex. The couple was sentenced each one year in prison and the doctor who performed the abortion, Jamal Belkeziz, two years of incarceration. 

Prior to the sentence, hundreds of Moroccans signed a manifesto demanding the legalization of abortion and sex outside of marriage. Additionally, in 2016, the Parliament was to consider amendments allowing abortions in cases of incest and rape, but never followed through. Though in Morocco it is illegal to get an abortion, it is reported by the AMLAC that daily, there are an estimated 600-800 illegal abortions conducted. Furthermore, just last year there were 73 people arrested in regards to illegal abortions, both giving and receiving. Most women who undergo these illegal abortions aren’t getting it done by a medical professional. and become more vulnerable to psychological consequences or bleeding, infection, peritonitis, infertility, incontinence, chronic pain, and in some cases, death.

Since the ruling, the king of Morocco pardoned the journalist and her fiance due to media uproar, however, a single pardon isn’t enough to have the decriminalization of abortions and pre-marital sex. Up until the case of Rifaat al-Amin and Hajar Raissouni, those who had been arrested for illegal abortions were not part of the Moroccan upper-class. It was reported that the Moroccan police were targeting “… women from working class neighborhoods who had no real voice”.

Moroccan society is very conservative and is known for sticking to it’s religious roots. The main piece in the abortion argument are of those who follow the Quran, saying abortions done 120 days after the pregnancy is wrong. Furthermore, a child born outside of marriage in Morocco can end up without a national identity card, which restricts access to an education and health facilities. However, it’s unacceptable for a country with over 36 million people to have such uncompromising restrictions when it comes to abortion and premarital sex laws. Besides rape and incest, there are countless other cases where a woman is not qualified to take care of a child, even as simple as a financial incapability or more serious matters of mental and physical disabilities.

It shouldn’t be up to the government whether or not a woman is allowed to get an abortion or have sex before marriage. In doing so, it polices peoples morals by creating double standards and silences those from speaking about trauma in fear they’ll get arrested or punished severely. The laws against abortion and premarital sex reflect a gender-blind sense of morality. For, it is a man’s or woman’s choice alone to say what they do with their body, so be it an abortion, sex, or anything at all for that matter.