The Fes Criminal Court issued a ruling yesterday, Monday, sentencing a young man, popularly known as “Ertugrul,” to one year in prison and imposing a fine of 10,000 dirhams. This decision followed his conviction for threatening the safety of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch through a video he posted on social media platforms.
The case emerged when the young man, from the Moulay Yacoub region, appeared in a video wearing a mask and wielding a metal object, which was deemed a “comic threat” directed towards the Prime Minister amid a wave of digital protests referred to by internet users as “Generation Z.” The video sparked widespread controversy among social media users and public opinion observers.
The sentence included not just prison time and a fine, but also strict ancillary measures. The court ordered the deletion and destruction of the content posted on the defendant’s phone and personal account, confiscation of the mobile phone, weapon, and all other seized items for the benefit of state property. The convict was also mandated to bear all legal costs associated with the lawsuit.
According to observers, this ruling underscores the Moroccan judiciary’s firmness in dealing with digital content viewed as threatening or inciting violence, regardless of its nature or context.
