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Marrakech – The court of first instance in Temara sentenced Moroccan content creator Bn Nsns to eight months in prison on Monday. The court also imposed a fine of MAD 20,000 ($2,000) over a video he posted on YouTube showing him skinning and cooking a dead dog during Eid Al-Adha.
The YouTuber faced multiple charges. These included insulting Islam, killing and mutilating an animal without necessity, threatening to commit misdemeanors and felonies, debauchery, inciting violence and aggression, and publishing digital content that undermines public order and morals on YouTube.
The court rejected all civil claims filed by associations and civil organizations that had joined the case as civil parties. One of them, the National Organization for Electronic Protection, had demanded a five-year prison sentence and a fine of MAD 500,000 ($50,000), arguing that the published content violated the religious and moral values of Moroccan society.
The court dismissed those demands and limited its ruling to the criminal sentence and the financial penalty.
The case dates back to Eid Al-Adha, when Bn Nsns posted a video exceeding 41 minutes on his YouTube channel. The footage documented him taking a dog that had died in a road accident, then skinning and preparing it for consumption. The video triggered widespread outrage across Moroccan social media platforms. Users described the content as shocking and disturbing.
Animal rights associations in Morocco moved quickly. They filed formal complaints with the court of first instance in Temara and called for an urgent judicial investigation. They demanded Bn Nsns be prosecuted for publishing content they deemed harmful to public peace and in violation of the criminal code.
The public prosecutor’s office at the Temara court ordered his prosecution while in custody. Security services arrested Bn Nsns in the northern city of Martil following a search warrant issued after the video went viral. He was subsequently transferred to Arjat 1 local prison.
The first hearing in the case took place on June 8. Multiple sessions followed before the court delivered its verdict Monday evening.
Bn Nsns built a large following across YouTube and social media through content centered on adventures, shocking challenges, and unconventional stunts. His videos often featured eating animals, so-called ghost hunting, and treasure searches – all designed to generate engagement and views.
The trial reignited a broader debate in Morocco around digital content, the limits of online publishing, and the accountability of content creators toward societal values and the legal framework governing digital spaces.
Critics maintained that the case exposed a disturbing race to the bottom in digital content, where shock value, public vulgarity, and reckless spectacle are being repackaged as entertainment for clicks, views, and online notoriety.
