The king of Morocco Mohammed VI has pardoned a female journalist jailed on abortion charges.
Hajar Raissouni, 28, was arrested on August 31 in Rabat, the Moroccan capital after being accused of having sexual relations outside of her marriage.
According to the Justice Ministry, the King’s pardon was “an act of compassion and mercy”.
Raissouni regained her freedom on Wednesday.
Political watchers believe the arrest of the Akhbar Al-Yaoum daily, a newspaper critical of the authorities, was part of government’s plans to cow independent journalists.
She denied all the charges against her, arguing she went to the gynaecologist with her Sudanese fiancé for a different treatment contrary to the abortion claims.
Raissouni described her case as a “political trial”. However, prosecutors insist the case has nothing to do with her profession as a journalist.
The court sentenced her fiancé to a year in prison and her doctor to two years. The doctor’s assistant and a nurse at the clinic were also found guilty but were given suspended sentences, the BBC reported.
