Rabat — The Agadir Court of Appeals has handed down a 10-year prison sentence to a young man involved in recent riots that erupted in Lqliaa.
Prosecutors charged the defendant with multiple offenses, including destroying buildings and property as part of a group or “organized gang” using force.
Authorities also accused him of setting fire to property that didn’t belong to him, damaging public assets, and committing acts of violence against law enforcement officers using a weapon. The charges further included rebellion and obstructing traffic.
This marks the second conviction related to riots that broke out in several Moroccan cities.
The Agadir court issued its first verdict on October 4, when it sentenced a defendant to four years in prison and fined him MAD 50,000 ($5000). He faced charges of inciting violence through social media posts.
The Agadir Court of Appeals postponed hearings for several other people arrested following vandalism incidents in Ait Amira, Inzegane, and Lqliaa.
The court granted the delay to give defense teams time to prepare and ensure the trials take place with all defendants present.
The riots took place following peaceful youth-led protests that had been ongoing in Morocco since the end of September.
Several cities across the country saw acts of vandalism and violence, with rioters setting over 100 security vehicles and 20 private cars on fire.
Over 250 security personnel and 23 civilians received injuries, while 409 were arrested for protest activity. Vandalism and looting proliferated in Sale, Rabat’s twin city, and the Souss region.
In Morocco’s central-south, demonstrators tried to storm a gendarmerie station in Lqliaa, Inzegan-Ait Melloul, and reportedly attempted to “seize” weaponry.
Security forces initially used tear gas to suppress the crowd before members drew knives and set the building on fire, prompting officers to use live ammunition and leading to three deaths.
