"Veiled Love" – the film that’s causing a scandal in Morocco

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:16:20 +0100

"Veiled Love", or "Hijab el Hob", tells the story of a young Moroccan woman who chooses to have sex before marriage.

Film maker Aziz Salamy introduces us to Batoul, a young, well brought-up woman, who with her boyfriend, decides to embark on a sexual relationship which is both enflamed and marred by their not being married. A relatively harmless story, even in Morocco, but made shocking by the fact that the young woman wears a hijab... Especially as the director chooses to show the couple kissing and taking a bath together. Our Observer explains why some Moroccans consider the film an attack on Islam.

Does the story shock you? Tell us what you think. The best comments will be translated into French and read as part of Saturday's RFI radio show "Atelier des medias", to which The Observers contributes.

Gay witch-hunt in Ksar el Kébir

Julien — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 11:45:00 +0100

Rumours of a supposedly gay marriage, reported by the local press, lead to a modern-day witch-hunt in Ksar el Kébir, Morocco. At the heart of the scandal is a private party that took place at the end of last month. The organiser, according to the minister of interior, wanted to ‘act out a fantasy in which a woman asks him to dress like her and offer a present to saint Sayad Al Madloum'. It was the images below, shot at the party and posted on YouTube, that really stirred up the trouble. Thousands of Ksar el Kébir residents took to the streets to protest against the offence, clapping and chanting homophobic slogans. On 10 December, the party organiser was charged for ‘sexual perversion' and the ‘illegal sale of alcohol'. He was sentenced to ten months in jail.

morals

"Veiled Love" – the film that’s causing a scandal in Morocco

Gay witch-hunt in Ksar el Kébir