Controversial Moroccan Salafist Preacher Faces Legal Action, Travel Ban

"Abou Ammar" is in hot water. On Monday, the public prosecutor’s office of the court of first instance in the city of Inezgane decided to ban the Salafist preacher from leaving Morocco following complaints filed by Med Radio journalist Farah Elbaz and the famous Amazigh artist Outaleb Lamzoudi. They accuse him of defamation and slander against them through videos widely circulated on social networks. The preacher had criticized the journalist for appearing "without a veil" during the interview with the Amazigh artist Raiss Ahmed Outaleb Lamzoudi and for inviting an artist he considers a "debauchee". The preacher’s remarks had sparked a wave of outrage on social networks. In the eyes of many media, union and human rights actors, the preacher’s behavior is an attack on the freedom and right of women to choose their clothing and practice their profession freely.

Two other artists (a well-known Amazigh comedian and his wife) have also filed new complaints for defamation and slander against "Abou Ammar", reports Le360. The accused is expected to be presented before the prosecutor of the court of first instance of Inezgane, at liberty, on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. After which, the public prosecutor will decide whether to prosecute him on provisional release or to place him in detention for the charges against him.

"Abou Ammar" is a controversial Salafist preacher. On the web, he attacks artists, human rights defenders, journalists, and even some of his fellow preachers speaking Amazigh. While his supporters believe that he practices "preaching" and the call to Islam in his own way, some of his detractors accuse him of "exploiting religion for personal gain". According to others, he "surfs on every wave to make financial gains through his channels on social networks".