Rabat – A court in Casablanca has reportedly sentenced three health-sector workers to prison terms ranging from six months to two years in a case linked to public criticism of the management of Ibn Rochd University Hospital.
The Court of First Instance’s Ain Sebaa criminal division issued the sentences on October 21, according to Moroccan media reports. The defendants include Professor and physician Rachid Cherkab, a senior official of the Democratic Health Union, and a hospital technician.
The case has drawn attention because the defendants had previously raised allegations of irregularities at the public hospital.
According to converging reports, the court sentenced union official Abdelatif Seddar to two years in prison and a fine of MAD 5,000 ($500). Cherkab received one year in prison and a MAD 5,000 fine, while the third defendant, identified by media outlets as Mohamed Ait Taleb, received six months in prison and a MAD 2,000 fine.
The defendants were prosecuted on charges reported as defamation and falsely claiming a legally recognized or trade-union status.
The court also reportedly ordered the three defendants to pay MAD 1 million in compensation to the Casablanca-Settat Territorial Health Group, which replaced Ibn Rochd University Hospital in the reported proceedings. It awarded an additional MAD 450,000 in compensation to three civil claimants, according to the reports.
Dispute over hospital management
The case follows criticism by members of the Democratic Health Union, which is affiliated with the Moroccan Democratic Labour Confederation.
The union had raised concerns about the management of Ibn Rochd University Hospital and alleged problems relating to medical ethics and the performance of some doctors working in the public system.
The union reportedly questioned whether some doctors and professors were fulfilling their duties at the public hospital while also working in private clinics. It called for an investigation into these alleged practices and for those responsible to be held accountable.
Reports suggested that the hospital’s management considered statements in a union communiqué defamatory and filed a complaint. The legal proceedings subsequently included allegations relating to defamation and the defendants’ claimed trade-union status.
Mustapha El Kihel, secretary-general of the Moroccan Democratic Labour Confederation, told media that the union had a legal filing receipt and that the defendants’ lawyers had submitted it during the proceedings.
His statement presents the union’s position in response to the allegation that the organization lacked the necessary documentation.
Questions over the proceedings
The sentences have also raised concerns among union representatives about the circumstances of the trial.
El Kihel has also reportedly questioned aspects of the proceedings and said the defense had not been able to consult the case file. He argued that access to the file was important for the defendants to exercise their right to a defence.
The case also raises questions about the distinction between publicly criticizing the management of a public hospital and making statements that a court finds legally defamatory. Establishing whether the defendants’ statements were accurate, whether they had sufficient evidence to support them, and precisely which statements formed the basis of the convictions would require access to the case file and written judgment.
Reactions on social media have shown strong support for Professor Rachid Cherkab, with many commenters expressing solidarity with the doctor and calling for his release. Several described him as a doctor who cares for ordinary and disadvantaged patients, while others commended what they described as his honesty and professionalism.
One commenter said her husband had worked with Cherkab and described him as an honest person. Others called for a solidarity campaign under the slogan “We are all Professor Cherkab,” while some comments questioned the fairness of the case and argued that people should not face prison for speaking out.
