GenZ 212 in Morocco: PhD students and a mentally ill person convicted, a deputy reacts

Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting of the Justice Commission in the House of Representatives, parliamentarian Fatima Benazza felt that this youth movement "should not be underestimated". She stated that these young people "deserve to be congratulated for their sense of patriotism and their courage" in denouncing the problems in the health and education sectors. The deputy, however, was keen to specify that she was "opposed to acts of vandalism" that had marred some demonstrations, attributing these excesses to the infiltration of "gangs and criminals", while criticizing the "excessive security response" to the protest.

Heavy sentences for students and non-violent individuals

Ms. Benazza insisted that while some of the convicted deserved their sentences for engaging in destruction, "others did not deserve what happened to them". She cited specific cases to support her argument, mentioning a mentally ill person convicted in Oujda as well as "young researchers preparing their doctoral or master’s theses".

She also mentioned the case of young people "imprisoned and sentenced to heavy sentences" even though they "were simply wearing a t-shirt on which was written ’We demand the right to health and education’". She added that some had no criminal record and were preparing to emigrate. Insisting that she was only defending those "imprisoned without being involved in the violence", she called for the appeal judgments to take these circumstances into account and for the sentences to be replaced by lighter alternative sanctions.