Former Moroccan Human Rights Minister Sentenced to 5 Years

In Summary

• Former Moroccan Human Rights Minister Mohamed Ziane was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, a case his attorney claims is politically motivated.
• Ziane and two colleagues were convicted of corruption and embezzlement related to the 2015 election campaign, charges which his defense strongly denies.
• This verdict follows a three-year sentence in 2022 for multiple charges, including defamation and sexual harassment, drawing criticism from international human rights organizations.

Marraketch, ,Morrocco- Former Moroccan Human Rights Minister Mohamed Ziane, aged 81, received a five-year prison sentence on Friday in a corruption case that his lawyer alleges is retribution for his outspoken criticism and defense of political prisoners.

An appeals court in Rabat delivered the sentence after a hearing where Ziane, known for his once combative rhetoric, remained silent in protest. The court found Ziane and two colleagues guilty of corruption and embezzlement during the 2015 election campaign.

Ziane's attorney, Ali Reda Ziane, who is also his son, denied the charges and criticized the court for not following standard procedures, losing all 17 appeals in the process. He linked the prosecution to Ziane's defense of journalists and activists charged for criticizing the government, suggesting this case signifies a restriction on free speech in Morocco.

The Moroccan Association In Support of Political Prisoners condemned the charges as arbitrary and the proceedings as unfair, describing them as politically motivated attempts to silence Ziane.

The sentence adds to a three-year verdict from 2022, where Ziane was convicted of 11 charges, including defamation and insulting a public official. His legal troubles have drawn condemnation from international allies and human rights groups.

Ziane's legal issues began after he accused Morocco’s intelligence services of leaking compromising images and videos of him, a charge the Interior Ministry denied. Amnesty International described the charges against Ziane as bogus, stemming from his defense of activists, journalists, and victims of human rights abuses.

Ziane has defended notable figures such as Taoufik Bouachrine, serving 15 years for human trafficking and other charges, and Nasser Zefzafi, serving 20 years for leading anti-government protests.

His activism followed his tenure as Human Rights Minister and president of the Rabat Bar Association, making him a rare dissenting voice from within Morocco's government.