The Court of Appeal in Rabat upheld, on Monday, June 30, the initial ruling against journalist Hamid Mahdaoui, sentencing him to one and a half years in prison and ordering him to pay a civil compensation of 150 million centimes to Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi.
The initial court had convicted Mahdaoui last November on charges related to “broadcasting and distributing false claims and facts with the intent to defame,” as well as “public insult and defamation,” based on articles 443, 444, and 447 of the Penal Code.
The case erupted following statements made by Mahdaoui on his YouTube channel, which the Justice Minister deemed offensive and damaging to his honor and reputation, prompting him to seek legal action.
The decision by the Appeals Court reaffirmed the initial judgment and solidified the judiciary’s approach towards handling publishing and digital content cases that generate controversy in media and human rights circles.
