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Rabat – A court in Marrakech has exempted Moroccan singer Dounia Batma, the main suspect in the “Hamza mon bb” blackmail case, from attending hearings due to her health conditions.
Batma’s lawyer said the court made the decision taking into account her pregnancy.
In July, Dounia Batma appealed the court’s decision to sentence her to eight months in prison.
The singer, however, remains under provisional release.
The judge also postponed on Wednesday the next hearing for the “Hamza mon bb” case until October 21.
During the next hearing, Dounia Batma will be absent, while her sister Ibtissam Batma, Aicha Ayach, and another suspect involved in the “Hamza mon bb” case will appear before the judge for more statements.
All of the defendants were absent from Wednesday’s hearing due to the health measures in place against COVID-19.
Dounia Batma’s defense team and all other defendants requested the postponement of hearings to prepare their statements.
During July’s trial, when Dounia Batma received her eight-month sentence, her sister Ibtissam received a sentence of one year.
Aicha Ayach received one year and a half in prison.
The three defendants were found guilty for their involvement in blackmail linked to the infamous case dubbed “Hamza mon bb.”
“Hamza mon bb” refers to the names of social network accounts that were active on Instagram and Snapchat. The accounts had been sharing indecent photos, videos, and other content of public figures and celebrities to undermine their privacy.
Police arrested Dounia Batma and her sister in December 2019.
The police freed the sisters on bail and confiscated their passports, but arrested Ibtissam again in March 2020.
The Batma sisters faced charges for fraudulently accessing personal data to disseminate private conversations and pictures through data systems without the victims’ consent.
The charges against the defendants also include the intention to undermine the privacy and reputation of their targets.
