Moroccan authorities have charged more than 2,400 people following violent youth-led protests that swept across the country. Of those charged, 1,473 remain in custody awaiting trial, facing accusations ranging from armed rebellion to incitement to commit felonies.
The demonstrations, led by the social media-driven movement Gen Z 212, demanded improved public services and condemned government spending priorities. Despite calls for peaceful protest, clashes erupted in several cities, leaving three dead, numerous injured, and shops and vehicles damaged.
Human rights groups criticized Morocco’s heavy-handed response, calling the arrests random and disproportionate, while prosecutors defended their actions as legal. The arrests have intensified public outrage, with demonstrators rallying around those detained and holding signs demanding their release nationwide.
Among those arrested is rapper Hamza Raid, detained in Casablanca, whose politically charged lyrics reflect youth frustration over social inequality. On Monday, three accused individuals appeared in a Rabat courtroom, charged with insulting public officials and inciting felonies through activist slogans.
Their attorneys requested bail, arguing that the defendants — two students and a print worker — faced unjust detention and potential harm. The public prosecutor reported over 400 convictions, with sentences ranging from one to 15 years, while 34 defendants were acquitted of all charges.
Gen Z 212 continues to call for detainees’ release, framing the arrests as a challenge to youth voices advocating for their future. Human Rights Watch warned that suppressing peaceful dissent risks escalating tensions and undermines the country’s credibility on human rights protections.