Prominent Moroccan Surgeon’s Human Trafficking Trial Continues, Acquittal Possible

On Friday, the Court of Appeal of Casablanca postponed the examination of the file of the famous plastic surgeon Hassan Tazi to March 8, in order to allow the defense to continue to present its pleadings. At this hearing, lawyer Fatima Zahra Ibrahimi continued her pleading after the public prosecutor’s office estimated that the prosecution of Hassan Tazi was due to the fact that he was the owner of the clinic, stating that he is "the guardian and responsible" of his flock. She pleaded for the acquittal of her client. "It is not possible to hold Hassan Tazi responsible for the acts committed by others and the legal data carried out by specialist doctors and people each from their position and role," she insisted, noting that "there is a difference between the tariffs of the insurance companies, and this difference lies in the partnerships."

"Why is Tazi held responsible for the fees guaranteed by law and why have doctors not been questioned about the fees they have received for their work based on all the services they have provided to patients," questioned the lawyer. To support her words, she argues that of all the witnesses, "some of them were received by the clinic in a critical situation, denying that they knew or had dealt with the owner of this clinic, Hassan Tazi." Fatima Zahra Ibrahimi returns to the testimony of the lady who claims to have been detained inside the clinic. "This lady presented herself to the clinic without a marriage contract and in a serious and complicated state, and yet the clinic welcomed her, she underwent a caesarean section and then gave birth to a premature baby, to whom all the necessary treatments were provided as well as to her child who spent a lot of time in the clinic," she explained.

If this lady stayed at the clinic for a long time, it was because it was necessary for her to be with her child to teach him to breastfeed. "Should we consider this as a detention when she was in a room inside the clinic," questioned the lawyer, before talking about the 32 witnesses who were heard, including 6 benefactors, who paid an estimated amount of 52,000 dirhams into the clinic’s account. She assured that receipts were issued to the donors. "Is it conceivable that Hassan Tazi be arrested for human trafficking on the basis of this amount," she wondered.

Ibrahimi also pleaded for the acquittal of Mounia, Hassan Tazi’s wife, of all the charges against her "due to the absence of elements and acts constituting these crimes." "Mounia does not frequent the clinic, which is attested by all the employees and the statements of all the witnesses before the court," added the lawyer. According to her, "the testimony of an accused in the same case cannot oblige the court to consider that the wife of Tazi is linked to the facts discussed." Ibrahimi thus refers to the testimony of the accused Saïda who confirmed that she received instructions from Mounia concerning a 20% commission for the benefit of Zineb B., the main accused ranked second in the order of criminal responsibilities in this case.

Dr Tazi, his brother, his wife and five other people are separately accused of human trafficking, exploitation of the vulnerability of people for commercial purposes, fraud against benefactors acting in good faith, falsification of treatment invoices and medical records, exploitation of minors suffering from chronic illness, forgery and use of forgery and the constitution of a criminal gang.