Rabat - A gay couple was arrested in southern Morocco after being caught engaging in “homosexual acts” in a car parked in a deserted area in the outskirts of the city of Guelmim on May 27, according to Moroccan news website Alyaoum24.
Homosexuality in Morocco is illegal under article 489 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes “lewd or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex.”
In March, a gay couple was arrested after being dragged from their home and severely beaten by a mob in Beni Mellal. A video of the incident went viral, sparking outrage.
Several human rights associations also launched a campaign calling for the release of the couple and the repeal of article 489 of the Penal Code.
Following Friday’s arrest of the couple in Guelmim, the public prosecutor ordered an investigation be conducted before the case is presented to the city’s Court of First Instance.
Those charged under article 489 of the Penal Code face sentences ranging from three months to six years in prison and a fine of up to MAD 1,200.
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