E-Paper
Instagram model alleges police in Morocco ‘forced her to show genitals’ over trans suspicions: Report
The influencer, Liziane Gutierrez, previously known for suing rapper Chris Brown, revealed she spent a month in a Marrakesh jail after filming a policeman.
Liziane Gutierrez, a Brazilian Instagram model, claimed she was accused of being transgender and “forced to show her genitals” following her arrest in Morocco, the Mirror reported on Thursday.
The influencer, previously known for suing rapper Chris Brown over an altercation at a Las Vegas party, revealed she spent a month in a Marrakesh jail after filming a policeman.
Before being admitted to the women’s prison, Gutierrez, who has 1.5 million Instagram followers, stated she underwent a genital inspection to prove she was not transgender.
Speaking from Italy after her release, she said, “The jail was a nightmare when I first got there. They thought I was a transsexual, so I had to open my legs in front of two women and two men. I never felt so humiliated in my life. And they were looking up inside me like a doctor or whatever, and I was just crying.”
Also Read | Mother slammed after toddler nearly walks onto busy road while she dances for Reels: 'Absolutely irresponsible'
She added, “After that, they think, ‘oh, okay, she is actually a woman.’ So they put me in this prison. If I was trans, I would probably have been in the male prison.”
The Brazilian embassy confirmed Liziane’s arrest to Leo Dias, a celebrity news website in her home country.
Model’s ‘nightmare’ began after a stolen phone complaint
Liziane Gutierrez recounted that her ordeal began on October 30 when her bag, containing her phone and her husband’s work phone, was stolen outside their Marrakesh hotel. Using her husband’s personal phone, the couple tracked the stolen devices and reported the location to a nearby policeman the next day. However, she said their attempts to communicate in English and via Google Translate were ignored.
In frustration, Liziane recorded the officers with her phone to highlight their inaction, which led to her and her husband being handcuffed and taken to a police station. Her husband was released after one night upon providing his phone password, but Liziane’s troubles escalated.
She described her initial holding cell as overcrowded and unsanitary, with twice the intended number of detainees, bugs, and poor ventilation. Smoking indoors added to the discomfort. She called it “complete hell.”
Later, she was transferred to a larger prison where she stayed for a month. Liziane said the conditions were harsh, with overcrowding, insufficient food, and a lack of basic facilities. She described sleeping on the floor, a hole for a toilet, and extreme temperature fluctuations.
‘Would rather go to North Korea 10 times again’
For Liziane Gutierrez, this was her worst travel experience, surpassing even her visits to North Korea and war-torn Ukraine. She stated, *“I know that I'm not a person that is easy to deal with. But at that time, I did nothing wrong. I was just trying to get help.
“I was in a country that didn’t speak good English, I don't know nobody there but my husband, so I was just trying to look for help.”*
Reflecting on the ordeal, she added, “I would rather go to North Korea 10 times again than come back to Morocco. I was more respected in North Korea than in Morocco.”
The Moroccan authorities have been contacted for comment, the Mirror report said.
Gutierrez's previous controversy Chris Brown
In 2016, Liziane Gutierrez reportedly received approximately $70,000 (£50,000) in compensation after alleging that a member of Chris Brown’s entourage assaulted her at a luxury party hosted by the musician. She claimed the incident occurred when Brown or his crew confiscated her phone at the event.
According to TMZ, the altercation took place at a New Year’s Eve party on December 31, 2015, at the Palms Hotel and Casino after Brown allegedly caught her taking his photo.
While the Grammy-winning artist denied the accusations, a settlement was reached after Gutierrez escalated her case by suing for defamation. This followed Brown posting a video in which he dismissed her claims and stated she was "too ugly" to have been invited to his party.
