Moroccan internet user sentenced to 5 years in prison for criticising the king on Facebook
Moroccan internet user sentenced to 5 years in prison for criticising king on Facebook
A Moroccan internet user has been sentenced to five years in prison for sharing posts criticising the king on social media for normalising ties with Israel, news agency AFP reports cited his lawyer as saying.
Said Boukioud, 48, "was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday for Facebook posts denouncing normalisation with Israel in a way that could be interpreted as criticism of the king", El Hassan Essouni said, adding that he has appealed.
Foreign affairs are the prerogative of the monarch, King Mohammed VI, under the country's constitution.
Both countries, Morocco and Israel normalised relations in December 2020 within the confines of the US-backed Abraham Accords.
No intention to offend the king
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The lawyer said that the Casablanca court's verdict "is harsh and incomprehensible".
He further added that even though his client expressed disavowal of ties with Israel, he had no intention whatsoever to offend the king in doing so.
The posts that were shared on the social media site Facebook were dated from the end of the year 2020 when Boukioud was living and working in Qatar.
He "deleted the posts and closed his account when he learned he was being prosecuted in Morocco", the lawyer said.
Boukioud was sentenced under Article 267-5 of the penal code which specifies a prison term of between six months and two years for anyone who vandalises the monarchy.
However, his sentence can be increased to five years if an offence is committed publicly, including by electronic means.
Human rights activists say the law hinders freedom of expression, and its wording "does not specify exactly what might constitute an attack" on the monarchy.
In a speech on Saturday marking the anniversary of his accession to the throne in 1999, the king reiterated "Morocco's unwavering stance in support of the just Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people".
(With inputs from agencies)
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