Two girls seen kissing in Morocco’s city Marrakech might be imprisoned for up to three years because acts of homosexuality are illegal in the country.

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Sanae, 16, and Hajar, 17, were seen kissing on a rooftop by relatives.

They are being persecuted for homosexuality and face between six months to three years in prison. According to Morocco’s article 489 of the Criminal Code, which provides that "anyone committing an indecent or unnatural act with an individual of the same sex" shall be punished.

“They were incarcerated for almost a week and released in November, just before the commencement of the trial, even though they are minors,” said Omar Arbib, from the Marrakech branch of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH).

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Akaliyat, an organisation that campaigns for the rights of sexual and religious minorities, said Hajar spent time in prison under harsh conditions where everyone knew of her alleged sexual orientation.

According to one of the girl’s lawyers, AMDH activist Moulay Rachid El Ghorfi, the case is "empty" and does not have any evidence.

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Social organisations including Akaliyat have been collecting signatures to free both the girls and have collected 85,000 so far, a good number considering that homosexuality is a taboo topic in the north African nation.