Morocco: A Protest to End Forced Marriage After Rape · Global Voices

Moroccans are taking a stand tomorrow (March 17) in protest against the plight of 16-year-old Amina Filali, who committed suicide after being forced to marry the man who raped her. Amina's marriage to her rapist was approved by a judge. Her suicide has raised a storm of reactions both on social networks and on the ground.

Moroccans are planning to take their protest to the Parliament at noon tomorrow, in order to draw attention to the plight of women like Amina who are forced to marry their rapists, who also get to escape punishment.

The Facebook page in support of Amina - a rape victim who committed suicde after being forced to marry her rapist

A Facebook page, entitled No to Rape, with the Complicity of the State, states [ar]:

موعدنا جميعا إذن يوم السبت 17 مارس أمام البرلمان على الساعة 12 ضهراً ، لكي تبقى ذكرى أمينة حية فينا، فلا يكون موتها عبثا لعلها تكون أخر ضحية لمثل هذا الفعل الشنيع المخزي.

Our meeting is on Saturday, March 17, in front of the Parliament, at noon. This is so that Amina's memory remains alive. We don't want her death to be in vain. Perhaps should be the last victims of such despicable and shameful acts.

The page also lists the details of tomorrow's sit-in as follows:

1. Meeting point will be in front of the Parliament at noon. This is not a march so we will not move from in front of the parliament.

2. The sit-in is a citizen action organized by independents, they will be identifiable with their T-Shirts (we’ll have additional t-shirts for those who want to acquire them)

3. Posters and flyers with the demands (the demands are available in the about section of this page) will be distributed to participants. You may also bring your signs if you want to.

4. Several prominent civil society activists, NGOs and artists will be participating.

This is our cause, all of us, men and women of Morocco, so be there!

Meanwhile, netizens continue to interact with Amina's story. Rafik Ayoub, from Rabat, blogs [ar]:

قضية أمينة الآن,أصبحت قضية الشعب المغربي بأسره و شرف جميع المواطنين الذي يحلمون بتكريس الديمقراطية الحقة و العدالة الإجتماعية,من أشبه المستحيل الحديث عن التنزيل السليم للدستور دون إنصاف أمينة و أسرتها و محاولة رد الإعتبار لكرامتها التي عمرت في الحضيض,لن أكثرت بعد الآن بالوعود المتكررة بإصلاح القضاء و ضمان استقلاليته دون مراجعة بعد فصول القانون الجنائي التي أضحت تنصر الظالم أكثر من إنصاف المظلوم,.

Amina's story today has become the cause of all Moroccans and the honour of all citizens who dream of implementing true democracy and social justice. It is almost impossible to speak about the drafting of a proper constitution without doing justice to Amina and her family, and trying to restore her dignity which has been dragged into the sand. I will not bother with repetitive promises to reform the judiciary, and guarantee its independence, without referring to chapters of the Criminal Law, which has become a source of support for the oppressor against the oppressed.

Written by Amira Al Hussaini
Posted 16 March 2012 20:28 GMT ·  Print version

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