On Monday morning, the Court of First Instance in Rabat ruled to convict journalist Hamid El Mahdaoui, director of the “Badil” website, to a year and a half in prison.
The aforementioned court also ruled, in the lawsuit filed by Minister of Justice Abdel Latif Wehbe, to convict the journalist of a fine of 150 million cents in favor of the civil rights claimant.
The Defense Minister of Justice requested, in the last session before the file was submitted for deliberation, that journalist El Mahdaoui be sentenced to the maximum penalties, while demanding civil compensation amounting to 10 million dirhams, or one billion centimes.
The Minister of Justice’s defense also requested a financial examination of the income of journalist El Mahdawi’s channel on the social networking site “YouTube,” and the transfer of its income, based on a judicial order, to benefit charitable organizations.
The former Secretary-General of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, Abdel Latif Wehbe, filed a complaint accusing the owner of the “Badil” website of “broadcasting and distributing false allegations and facts for the purpose of defaming people, slandering, and public insult,” in accordance with the requirements of the Criminal Code.
