Moroccan Singer Dounia Batma Seeks Royal Pardon Ahead of Eid al-Adha

Dounia Batma soon to be free? From the Oudaya prison in Marrakech, Dounia Batma has submitted a request for a royal pardon to the Minister of Justice, Abdelatif Ouahbi. She could be on the list of detainees to whom King Mohammed VI will grant his pardon on the occasion of the celebration of Eid al-Adha.

A few days ago, her ex-husband Mohamed Al-Turk, in a live on TikTok, said that the singer could be released from prison before the celebration of the feast of sacrifice. "Someone you miss will be out soon... in 12 days, you’ll have confirmation... I’m a million percent sure," he announced. And he added: "I only speak when I’m sure of what I’m saying... She was in Switzerland... she got a pardon..."

Dounia had been sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 10,000 dirhams in the "Hamza mon Bb" case. In January, the judicial police brigade had arrested the singer in an apartment on Boulevard Moulay Youssef in Casablanca, where she had taken refuge after learning of the execution of the judgment against her. She had then been taken to the Oudaya prison in Marrakech to serve her sentence. The singer had meanwhile requested a royal pardon. Her lawyers had taken legal steps in this direction, but the court had rejected the request.