Moroccan blogger sentenced to two and a half years in prison for posting videos deemed " offensive " on YouTube, in line with several recent legal sanctions targeting social networks in Morocco, we learned on Wednesday, February 19 with his lawyer.
Rachid Tahiri (alias Bassirou), was sentenced for “ insulting state institutions ” and “ the flag and symbol of the kingdom ” by the court in Settat (a town 165 km south of Rabat) following of a complaint filed by an association called " Royal Youth ", said his lawyer Rachid Malzouzi to AFP. The 39-year-old bus driver has broadcast several diatribes denouncing " poverty " and " corruption " in his country, according to publications consulted by AFP on YouTube.
Read also: Morocco: “crackdown campaign” against social networks, according to the NGO Human Rights Watch
Groups of human rights defenders, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently denounced a " campaign of repression " by the Moroccan authorities against critical opinions expressed on social networks. Amnesty has listed at least ten " harsh punishments " since November, punishing remarks against King Mohammed VI, state institutions and Moroccan officials. The monarchy is considered " one of the three red lines of freedom of expression in Morocco, " recalls Amnesty. According to the Constitution of the kingdom, the person of the monarch is " inviolable ".
Among those sentenced are the popular youtubers " Moul Hanout " and " Moul Kaskita " (three and four years in prison), a high school student (three years in prison), a young rapper (four years). Also listed by Amnesty, journalist Omar Radi awaits trial for “ contempt of court ” on March 5, for a critical tweet targeting a judge.
Read also: Morocco: the trial of journalist Omar Radi postponed to March 5
A campaign called #freekoulchi (“ free them all ”) was recently launched on Facebook and Twitter to denounce the legal sanctions against critical voices.
Asked about this, government spokesman Hassan Abyaba said in January that " the human rights situation is experiencing no decline in Morocco ", calling " to distinguish those who speak freely from those who commit crimes punished by the law ”.
