Moroccan Journalist Arrested in Abortion Case, Prosecutor Clarifies

The legal proceedings instituted against a journalist recently arrested along with other people including a doctor are not related to her professional status, but are motivated by acts related to abortion, said a statement from the Prosecutor of the King near the Court of First Instance of Rabat.

The same source specifies that the arrest of the person concerned has nothing to do with her status as a journalist, as it occurred fortuitously following her visit to a clinic. This visit was indeed the subject of surveillance based on information received by the Judicial Police about recurrent practices of abortion operations.

The person concerned is therefore being prosecuted for acts considered by the Penal Code as crimes, in particular, the regular practice of abortion, consent to have an abortion by others, participation in this operation and debauchery, in accordance with Articles 444, 450, 454, 490 and 129 of the Penal Code.

Furthermore, the report from the forensic police laboratory, which conducted DNA tests on the samples and biological traces collected at the clinic, received on September 5, 2019, revealed a female genetic fingerprint matching that of the person concerned, from samples taken from the test tube and the reddish stains taken from a paper handkerchief, the medical dressings and gloves, as well as the syringe used on the person concerned, the same source specifies.