Rabat – After the viral video of French-Algerian actor Brahim Bouhlel and his two accomplices desecrating Moroccans went viral on Saturday, the Moroccan Lawyers Club (CAM) requested the Marrakech court open a case against the “pseudo-humorists”.
The judicial police of Marrakech summoned the actors to court for a hearing related to charges of breaching the public order amongst other crimes such as defamation and discrimination on Monday.
The actors laughed on camera about the negative stereotypes towards Moroccan women before heckling street children and repeatedly insulting them.
Amidst the hailstorm of public outrage, CAM President Mourad Elajouti took to Twitter stating, “The Club of Lawyers in Morocco vigorously condemns the cowardly hateful, abject and racist remarks against Moroccan children uttered by pseudo-influencers and pseudo-humorists and therefore decides to file a complaint before the public prosecutor for defamation, public insults and discrimination. These abominable remarks undermined the dignity of Moroccan children.”
Bouhlel and the other two antagonists, French-Algerian Hedi Bouchenafa and French-Moroccan social media influencer Zbarbooking, posted public apologies following the media outrage but the Marrakech Court is continuing with the hearings.
Possible charges include Article 431-1 of the Penal Code and Article 447-1 based on “inciting of hatred” and “recording and publication of a video without the consent of the person concerned”. Both are subject to lengthy prison sentences and hefty fines of up to 50,000 DH ($5,563.06).
Aside from legal complications, organizations like Adidas Paris and state-owned 2M distanced themselves from Brahim Bouhlel. The official page for Adidas Paris posted on Twitter stating,
“Adidas firmly opposes all forms of intolerance, discrimination and sexism. We are committed to making sport a space where everyone is fully accepted. Recalling that no contract binds the brand to Brahim Bouhlel, Adidas undertakes to reconsider its collaboration with him.”
It is expected that the actor will leave Morocco similar to his French-Algerian counterpart, Hedi Bouchenafa.
