Actors Face Prison in Morocco for Offensive Video Mocking Women and Children

The judicial investigation opened at the request of the public prosecutor in Marrakech is progressing. The Franco-Algerian actor Brahim Bouhlel and the Moroccan influencer Zbarbooking were arrested and then taken into custody. Under the cover of the secrecy of the investigation, the judicial police officers are conducting a preliminary investigation, declared Mourad Elajouti, president of the Moroccan Lawyers’ Club, explaining that the duration of this custody will depend on this investigation. However, "the duration of the custody is 48 hours, and can be extended by 24 hours after written authorization from the public prosecutor," he specified. After being placed in custody, the accused will have to appear before the public prosecutor in Marrakech, the lawyer further specified.

As for the Franco-Algerian actor Hedi Bouchenafa who was with Brahim Bouhlel and the Moroccan influencer Zbarbooking at the time of the events, he will apparently not be implicated. At least, for the moment. He had time to leave Morocco for France well before the start of the legal troubles.

Last weekend, Brahim Bouhlel had posted an insulting video about Morocco. Mourad Elajouti, who "strongly condemned the hateful, abject and racist remarks made against Moroccan children by these pseudo-comedians/influencers" said that the public prosecutor of Marrakech had given instructions for the opening of a judicial investigation against the two Franco-Algerian actors and the Franco-Moroccan Snapchatter.

According to the lawyer, the authors of the video risk a lot. Article 431-5 of Section II on discrimination in the Penal Code stipulates that "anyone who has incited discrimination or hatred between persons shall be punished by imprisonment of one month to one year and a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 dirhams or one of these two penalties only". The same article also stipulates that "the penalty incurred will be imprisonment of one to two years and a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 dirhams or one of these two penalties only if the incitement to discrimination or hatred between persons is committed by speech, cries or threats uttered in public places or meetings, by posters exposed to public view or by any means that fulfills the condition of publicity, including electronically, on paper or by audiovisual means".