Morocco: Should sex outside of marriage be legalized?

A group of women campaigning requested changes to the law on sex

Editor of the daily Al-Ahdath Al-Maghribia Morocco, Moktar el-Ghzioui, now living in fear after he expressed support for extramarital sex in the debate on local television.

"The next thing that happened was a scholar of Oujda issued a fatwa that I should die," he said.

"I'm very afraid for the safety of myself and my family. Thing is a blow to the supporters who think Morocco modernization movement began to move forward."

According to article 490 of Criminal Law of local, Moroccan citizens can be jailed if having sex out of wedlock. It is based on Islamic law that forbids sexual activity before marriage.

It causes Ghzioui comments on television sparked enormous controversy in society still dominated by conservatives.

Moroccan Human Rights Association called for revision of the Penal Code to address harassment on women, who often carried by the men who experience sexual frustration.

'Sharing hotel rooms'

Although the amended law, sex therapist Abu Bakr Harakat believes that negative perceptions about sex outside of marriage, and the importance of maintaining virginity, nothing will change in an instant.

"People are forcing people to respect the law and not individuals," he said.

For example, last year a judge ordered Amina Filali, 16-year-old girl to marry the man who raped her to keep the family honor.

He committed suicide last March after being beaten by her husband.

The incident occurred in a remote village north of Morocco, where traditional beliefs are very strong.

Amina Filali tragic death sparked outrage in Morocco

A sociologist from the University of Mohammed V, Abdessamad Dialmy, argued that Article 490 should be removed because men are entitled to sex.

He said more couples do not get married to have sex because they will be getting married later.

"People may not be talking about sex, but they are always thinking about them all the time," he said.

With sex outside of marriage is increasing, some couples can 'outsmart' the law, such as the prohibition of sharing hotel rooms.

Moroccan influenced Eastern and Western cultures

But Law Minister Mustapha Ramid Morocco, from the newly elected Islamic government, explaining that he was not going to change the law.

"Legalize extramarital sex is an initiative to promote adultery," he said recently.

When the new law was announced last year, the leaders of Western countries praised Morocco as a model of democracy and moderitas than its neighbors.

Many people who want to see the liberal society in which freedom can be expressed as said by Ghzioui.

But the problem is that contrary to those who want to keep the tradition of Islam.

Moroccan society seems divided between conservative and liberal mindset, as they are also influenced Eastern and Western cultures.

But the fact is that for the first time the issue became a hot topic of debate that were previously considered taboo.