Moroccan Ex-Minister Jailed for Criticizing King’s Absences, Court Upholds Sentence

– bySaid@Bladi · 1 min read
Moroccan Ex-Minister Jailed for Criticizing King's Absences, Court Upholds Sentence

The Moroccan justice system has confirmed the conviction of Mohamed Ziane, former Moroccan Minister of Human Rights, to a sentence of three years in prison. At the age of 80, the lawyer had spoken out against the prolonged absences of King Mohammed VI and the repression in the country.

The Court of Cassation has confirmed the conviction decision, thus putting an end to possible appeals, reports El Independiente. In recent months, Amnesty International has launched a campaign calling for Ziane’s immediate release, highlighting the violations of freedom of expression and the need for an independent and impartial investigation. Ziane’s family has also pleaded for his release due to his advanced age and health problems.

Since the end of last November, Ziane has been detained in the El Arjat prison in Salé. He had previously been banned from leaving the country after a very critical interview with a Spanish newspaper.