Moroccan activist sentenced to two years for online posts

In a case criticized by Amnesty International, a Moroccan court sentenced an activist to two years in prison on Friday for criticizing government officials on social media.

Saida El Alami, 48, a vocal human rights activist with regular online posts who was arrested on March 23, was found guilty in a Casablanca court of crimes including “insulting a body regulated by law” and “insulting public officials while performing their duties.”

Alami, who denied the charges and plans to appeal the ruling, was also found guilty of “broadcasting and distributing false allegations”.

Describing herself as a “political dissident” on Facebook and a member of a group called “Moroccan Women against Political Detention”, Alami showed her support for jailed journalists and activists.

“The Casablanca court… sentenced Saida El Alami to two years in prison, a sentence accompanied by a fine of 5,000 dirhams ($500),” her lawyer Souad Brahma said.

Earlier this month, Amnesty International cited the case of Alami, saying that Morocco’s authorities had “stepped up their harassment of human rights defenders and activists”, condemning what it said were “unfounded criminal investigations and bogus charges in a shameless bid to silence critical voices”.

Rabie Al Ablaq, 35, a Moroccan human rights activist, was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday for “offending” King Mohammed VI on social media.

He is not in custody because he has filed an appeal against his sentence.