Morocco Court Sentences Journalist to 18months in Jail for Defaming Justice Minister
The Rabat Court of First Instance sentenced journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui on Monday to 18 months in prison for defamation against Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahb. The verdict also includes a civil compensation of approximately USD$150,000 to the justice minister.
The verdict follows a lawsuit filed in October by justice minister and former secretary-general of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), Abdellatif Ouahbi. Ouahbi accused Mahdaoui of “spreading and distributing false claims and information to harm the reputation of individuals, along with defamation and public insults,” under articles 443, 444, and 446 of the Moroccan penal code.
The case centers on a video in which Mahdaoui alleged that Ouahbi had received a luxury car from a woman involved in an active legal case. During the last session before the case went into deliberation, the defense for the Minister of Justice requested the maximum penalty for Mahdaoui, along with a civil compensation claim of 10 million dirhams. The defense also called for a financial audit of the revenue generated by Mahdaoui’s private YouTube channel and requested that the proceeds be transferred, by court order, to charitable organizations.
In his interview with Reuters after the verdict, Mahdaoui maintained his innocence and expressed his hesitation in appealing the verdict because he was convicted despite “presenting all his arguments in his defence at court.”
In his interview with newsmen after the verdict, Mahdaoui maintained his innocence and expressed his hesitation in appealing the verdict because he was convicted despite “presenting all his arguments in his defence at court.”
The Moroccan Association of Human Rights criticized the ruling, describing it as unjust and surprising. They argued that it represented a victory for the powerful party, referring to the Minister of Justice. The association expressed astonishment at the court’s decision and emphasized that Mahdaoui’s trial was political.
El Mahdaoui was previously sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 by a Casablanca court for “failing to report a crime threatening national security.”
