Three men arrested over videoed attack on gay teen
Three men have been arrested in Morocco after a video of the homophobic attack was posted online.
Police in Casablanca launched an inquiry into the attack last week after a local media outlet posted the 50-second video.
The footage shows the the teen – who can be seen wearing makeup and women’s underwear – being stripped naked and beaten on the street while the assailants threaten murder.
“A suspect was arrested for assaulting a young man, who was undressed, for his assumed homosexuality, and another two were arrested for trying to blackmail the victim’s family with a video,’ Casablanca police said on Monday (September 28).
A 23-year-old was detained on suspicion of assault and two others – aged 19 and 20 – for allegedly blackmailing the victim, according to MAP news agency.
From the footage, police were able to identify the 17-year-old victim and the date and place of the attack.
The video has since been removed from YouTube.
Police are still looking for another suspect as a witness said there were four assailants.
Last month, two men were sentenced to four months in prison in Morocco for attacking a man they thought was gay.
The two men – along with a crowd of others – attacked the man in the city of Fez, after they accused him of being gay.
The man was beaten to the ground by the crowd, but eventually managed to run to a nearby coffee shop to escape the attack.
The victim’s attempts to get himself to safety were captured on video, leading to an outpouring of international support for the victim.
Homosexual activity is still illegal in Morocco, and is punishable by up to three years in prison.
