Rabat – A court in Marrakech has sentenced a 19-year-old girl, identified as Ghadir A., to nine months in prison for threatening and cyberbullying social media influencer Selma, whom she physically attacked two years prior.
The case gained widespread attention on Moroccan social media, especially after Ghadir posted recent videos mocking Selma’s appearance and expressing pride in a violent blade attack she carried out two years ago.
The incident dates back to 2022, when Ghadir and Selma were still in high school. During a heated argument, Ghadir took a razor blade and slashed Selma’s face, leaving her with a deep wound that required 56 stitches and caused a permanent scar. Despite the severity of the attack, Ghadir only served two months in prison at the time.
Selma later dropped out of school but began sharing her story online and gained support and followers. She initially covered her scar with a bandage, but after people began asking about it, she opened up about what had happened to her.
Earlier this year, Ghadir resurfaced online and posted disturbing videos mocking Selma’s face and laughing about the previous attack. In one video, she said: “I left prison two years ago, but did your face get fixed?” Her comments caused outrage on social media, with many people calling for justice and stronger punishment.
In response to the public backlash, the police in Marrakech opened an investigation under the supervision of the public prosecutor. Ghadir was arrested, and authorities seized a digital device containing the threatening videos.
On Friday, the criminal chamber of the Marrakech Court of First Instance found Ghadir guilty of defamation. She was sentenced to nine months in prison, fined MAD 2,500 (around $250), and ordered to pay Selma MAD 30,000 (approximately $3,000) in damages.
The case was supervised by prosecutor Khalid Rakiq, who instructed police to investigate after the threatening videos appeared on social media.
Many Moroccans expressed relief that Ghadir was finally sentenced, but said that nine months is not enough given the violence of the original attack and the harassment.
