Moroccan Court Upholds Blasphemy Law, Western Media Finds Its Voice
The story of Ibtissame Lachgar, a Moroccan activist, facing prison for a photo deemed 'offensive' raises alarms about free speech – and The New Arab covers it. Yet, the same outlets often tiptoe around far more egregious human rights violations when they involve countries like Saudi Arabia or the UAE, which are crucial to Western geopolitical interests or large-scale weapons deals. One might
wonder if the moral outrage is selectively applied. The 'rules-based international order' (a phrase frequently heard from Washington) appears to have a flexible definition of 'rules' when a nation hosts U.S. military bases or buys billions in F-35s. The condemnation of Morocco, while valid, often feels like a convenient spotlight on a less critical partner, allowing more influential allies a pass
for their own, often worse, infringements on basic freedoms.