Rabat – The Agadir Court of Appeal announced on Wednesday it is postponing the long-awaited hearing session for the appeal in the case of a young girl who was raped by six defendants in the province of Tata.
The new hearing date is scheduled for July 12. Reports indicate that the court made the decision to allow lawyers to adequately prepare their defense and give the judges an opportunity to thoroughly analyze the case and assess its merits.
The victim, who was 15 years old at the time of the events that took place in 2021, gave birth to a child eight months after the rape occurred.
During the initial trial, a DNA test confirmed the biological relationship between the victim and one of the rapists.
In the first instance, the accused, including the girl’s coach at a local soccer club, were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for ‘indecent assault on a minor,’ instead of rape charges. Meanwhile, one of the defendants is still at large.
Under the Moroccan penal code, the rape of a minor is punishable by 10 to 20 years imprisonment.
Currently, all five defendants are free after having served their relatively lenient sentences in full.
In Agadir, feminist associations are closely monitoring the developments of this case on appeal, demanding a fair trial and seeking justice for the young victim.
Approximately fifteen lawyers have expressed their willingness to defend the victim during the upcoming appeal process. Their involvement demonstrates a collective effort to ensure that the legal rights of the victim are safeguarded and that justice is served.
This case has garnered significant attention from both local and national feminist associations, who are actively advocating for a fair trial and seeking justice for the young girl.
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