Morocco Postpones Appeal Trial in High-Profile Tattoo Assault Case

In this case, 12 individuals are being prosecuted for "rape, kidnapping, sequestration, tattooing and human trafficking". The postponement of the appeal trial by the Court of Appeal is due to the absence of the lawyers of three accused, even if all those prosecuted in custody in this case were present, according to the site alyaoum24.com.

In September 2021, the Criminal Chamber near the Court of Appeal of Beni Mellal had sentenced 11 of the accused to 20 years in prison each, the minor accused to three years in prison, and two other accused prosecuted at liberty to 2 years in prison and one year suspended.

For having sequestered, raped, tortured and forcibly tattooed Khadija, a 17-year-old girl, the accused were sentenced, in addition to their prison sentences, to pay 200,000 dirhams as compensation to the victim. The trial lasted three years. The ordeal of the young Khadija, two long months.

Her poignant testimony aroused the indignation and mobilization of all for justice to be done. The popular uprising against the atrocities suffered by this young girl was carried out through #JusticePourKhadija and #NousSommesTousKhadija.