Moroccan-Canadian Woman Appeals Prison Sentence in Viral Assault Case Against Official

This week, the appeal trial of the "slap to the Caïd of Témara" case opens before the Rabat Court of Appeal. Prosecuted for insulting a public official and violence against an official on duty, the Moroccan residing abroad, the main defendant, was sentenced on April 10 to two years in prison by the Témara court of first instance. Her husband was sentenced to one year in prison, while two other defendants - the MRE’s brother and a close associate - received six months in prison.

On March 19, the caïd was physically assaulted by the MRE after leading a campaign to clear public spaces targeting street vendors. Accompanied by her husband, she had tried to recover items belonging to her brother, a street vendor, and another close associate, which the competent authorities of the Skhirat-Témara prefecture had seized from public spaces. These items were on display for sale. They all went several times to the headquarters of the seventh administrative annex, harassing auxiliary forces agents and officials, in order to recover their belongings by engaging in negotiations with the caïd.

However, the authority figure refused to yield, which triggered a heated altercation. When the caïd tried to prevent the woman from filming the scene with her phone, she slapped him twice. The video of the scene quickly went viral on social media. On March 21, the four defendants were presented before the Témara prosecutor’s office, which ordered their placement in pre-trial detention. The slapped caïd was relieved of his duties and assigned to an internal service of the Ministry of Interior, outside the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, following the slap inflicted by the MRE. He had meanwhile presented a medical certificate mentioning a temporary work incapacity of 30 days, which resulted in his departure on official leave.