By Anas Chariai
A mass campaign is taking place in Morocco in these hours: some people are publicly revealing the sexual orientation of gay and bisexual men without their consent. This started a few days ago, after Sofia Taloni, a Moroccan influencer living in Turkey, published a live video on Instagram. Taloni encouraged Moroccan girls to start a hunt for homosexuals through three dating apps: PlanetRomeo, Grindr and Hornet. The influencer gave his [read the note] followers specific instructions on how to search for these applications and how to behave once inside: he even suggested using fake photos and describing themselves as bottom men to more easily attract users.
This turned into a real witch hunt. Several girls signed up for the apps, they have started several conversations in which they asked for face – and even nude – pictures. The aim of all this was to divulge those users’ photos on various social media, especially in Arab female groups on Facebook. This phenomenon, according to several reports, is having very serious consequences within the LGBTQIA Moroccan community, both in virtual life and – even more – in real life: several boys have been kicked out of home, others have lost their jobs and unfortunately, news (not yet confirmed) of suicides are spreading.
By spreading sensitive personal data and violating people’s privacy, this outing campaign is clearly extremely dangerous. It is even more dangerous when we consider small communities, where boys don’t have the slightest chance to express their identity and to live their sexual orientation freely: if they do, they risk a beating or, in the worst case, of an honour killing. Read more via Il Grande Colibri
Hi folks. I know this is not my typical content but it is very important. A large Moroccan influencer on Instagram has launched a witch hunt asking their half a million followers to go on queer dating apps, create fake accounts, screenshot the people they find and out them. pic.twitter.com/rcW9TNMwDt
— Sarah Fathallah (@SFath) April 16, 2020
Association AKALIYAT - جمعية أقليات:
In the previous weeks, the name " Nawfal Moussa " known as " Sofia Talouni " on social media, a Moroccan of nationality currently living in Turkey, has knowingly aired videos via Instagram Live that reveal identity and personal information of Moroccan people from the LGBTQ community +.
While, given the current environment related to the COVID-19 health crisis, and with a view to hygiene reasons to stop the spread of the pandemic, most of them are confined to home with their families.
He did not stop there, in addition to exposing people to danger, he also attacked various civil society associations and activists and associations to fight against HIV, which are making great efforts and hard work - foot to ensure that access to health information and services is fair and accessible to all, and who try to do their best to protect the rights and freedoms of minorities and Moroccan people in general.
Videos widely posted on social media created a general outrage and led to the increase in the malicious use of some gay and lesbian chat and communication apps, after "Talouni" encouraged video viewers to use these apps - there.
As a result, several malicious people, created fake accounts using photos and personal information from a group of people in the LGBTQ community +, and these elements were also posted on social media for defamatory purposes which represents a flagrant violation of the laws in force of the protection of personal data and the fight against digital harassment.
The Moroccan LGBTQ+ community has long suffered and is still suffering greatly from homophobia. And again, she suffers this vile and degrading act that has affected the physical and personal integrity of many people, an act of defamation with the aim of spreading the rumor, a thing that is criminalised by all international human rights treaties of man, the constitution and the Moroccan law.
As militant associations at the national and international level:
- We condemn these practices that affect the privacy of citizens.
- We regret all the practices of defamation and abuse a group of the LGBT community has been victims of.
- We condemn all rumors and false information, as well as any hateful acts directed against the LGBT community.
- We ask the American company of INSTAGRAM to delete the account called Naoufalmoussa because of the impact of its publications incitement to hatred, harassment and defamation against a group of people. This is a violation of all laws in force and in accordance with all international human rights treaties.
- We highlight our solidarity with the victims of this defamation campaign carried out by the so-called Nawfal Moussa (Sofia Talouni).
We also ask the Moroccan authorities:
- Responsibility and follow-up of all those responsible for the recent defamation operations against members of the LGBT community.
- activation of judicial follow-up against "Nawfal Moussa" for committing acts of incitement to hatred against Moroccan citizens.
- Decriminalization of homosexuality in Morocco under article 489 and all the discriminatory articles of the Moroccan Criminal Code.
- Adoption of laws that guarantee and protect the dignity of the LGBT community in Morocco and laws that protect acts of hatred and discrimination based on gender, color, cult, race, sexual orientation and / or expressions gender identity.