Rabat – On Friday, Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security (DGSN) released a press statement denying comments attributed to Moroccan lawyer Mohammad Ziane regarding a complainant summoned in the case of detained journalist Taoufik Bouachrine.
A recent report by Moroccan news outlet Al Omk featured statements attributed to Ziane, who claimed that a complainant was forced to appear before the court on Friday. Ziane’s alleged statement added that the complainant was also threatened with the release of videos of her personal life if she did not appear at the next hearing which is scheduled for March 29.
To verify the statements published by the news source, the judicial police opened an investigation in accordance with the procedures of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Court of Appeal in Casablanca to determine the circumstances and veracity of the attorney’s allegations. The press release issued by DGSN added that the court is the only legitimate body in charge of informing complainants who have been summoned to appear before the court.
The DGSN strenuously denied that police received any complainant last Friday, announcing that the only alleged accuser in the high-profile case was summoned last Thursday.
The statement also added that the police refuted the false statements published in the report, emphasizing that the investigation and all related witness and complainant interviews done in this case are based on legitimate practices done in accordance with Moroccan judicial procedures.
The statement also noted that police officers and investigators are obliged to maintain the strict confidentiality of all aspects of the investigation, including complainant statements, in accordance with relevant legal requirements.
Bouachrine, who was arrested on February 28, is facing charges of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and rape. The police claim to be in possession of 50 videos that may serve to back the charges facing the prominent journalist, suggesting that some or all of the videos were recorded by Bouachrine himself.
During a previous court appearance, Bouachrine’s lawyers argued for their client’s innocence, claiming the videographic evidence the police claim to possess had been “falsified” in some manner.
