₦airaland Forum

Morocco has charged more than 2,400 people over recent youth-led protests that turned violent, a sweeping response to some of the country’s largest anti-government demonstrations in years.

Of the 2,480 charged, 1,473 people remain in custody awaiting trial. Charges included armed rebellion, insulting and using violence against a public official exercising his duties, and incitement to commit felonies.

The demonstrations took Morocco by surprise after a youth-led movement called Gen Z 212 mobilized thousands across the country to protest the state of public services. The movement, organized on social media platforms like Discord, criticized government spending on infrastructure to host sporting events while neglecting social services.

Though organizers urged peaceful demonstrations, protests turned violent in some cities and towns, leaving three dead, injuring many others and damaging shops and cars. Rights groups criticized authorities’ heavy-handed approach toward the demonstrators, but the public prosecutor said interventions were carried out legally.

The wave of arrests has alarmed human rights groups and become an additional rallying cry for demonstrators, who have at recent protests held signs for those arrested for attending protests. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights has denounced the arrests and called them random, while Gen Z 212 has demanded the release of all the protests’ detainees.

“Those calling for a fair chance for their future should not be met with lethal force and repression,” Human Rights Watch’s Associate Director Hanan Salah said last week in a statement.

Those arrested include Hamza Raid, a Moroccan rapper who was detained in Casablanca last month, whose lyrics often touch on politics and channel youth anger.

Three of the accused appeared in court on Monday before a presiding judge in the capital, Rabat, charged with incitement to commit felonies and insulting an official body after they printed activist slogans on Morocco’s soccer team jerseys, their attorneys told The Associated Press. They could face up to five years in prison if convicted.


Before a crowded court room, the attorneys made an application for bail for their clients – two college students and a print shop worker – who they said could be harmed after doing little to justify their arrests.

The public prosecutor said more than 400 people were condemned, with sentences ranging from one to 15 years. It added that 34 people were acquitted of all charges.

spiSeyi:
Your type is why Africa is where it is today , the Genz re the generation who will liberate Africa

omoredia:
There is no human rights in sharia. Those protesters will learn a bitter lesson. Islam and democracy are not compatible. They only tolerate democracy to take advantage of a system

FreeStuffsNG:
[b]

For many ignorant people who think that anyone can incite recklessly and insult/threaten public officials anywhere else apart from Nigeria, I have got news for you. No country in the world will accept it!

Kalulu44:
All this post just so that no one should protest against the impunity your Lord and master Tinubu and his cohort is dealing on Nigerians

Yobabad:
I could remember when most of us Yoruba Muslims including Tinubu used to protest around Ojota in Lagos during GEJ regime

Ipisi:
You know nothing

Go and google Arab Spring. . .

The more you arrest, the more they protest.

When any Arab nations starts protesting, otilor. . .

FreeStuffsNG:
Three of the accused appeared in court on Monday before a presiding judge in the capital, Rabat, charged with incitement to commit felonies and insulting an official body after they printed activist slogans on Morocco’s soccer team jerseys, their attorneys told The Associated Press. They could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

5 years in jail!

They got carried away with the recklessness on social media and ignored wise counsel that you can protest without breaking the law. Smh.

For many ignorant people who think that anyone can incite recklessly and insult/threaten public officials anywhere else apart from Nigeria, I have got news for you. No country in the world will accept it!

Tenrack:
Where was this energy when people were placing Jonathan's picture on top of a coffin and dancing with it?where was this energy when the man was being called names and abused by the so called polithiefcians you praise to high heavens today?

Ogbeni Goan sit down. Your hypocrisy stinks and it's nauseating.

Btw why are you quoting a man of God now..or bringing him into this? The morrocans aren't Christians as far as I know, they practice Shariah law. Bur lemme ask you a salient question: is there a free practice of Democracy in Sharia law?

Port8080:
Where is Amnesty International when you needed them? Are they only keeping tabs on Nigeria?

FreeStuffsNG:


Three of the accused appeared in court on Monday before a presiding judge in the capital, Rabat, charged with incitement to commit felonies and insulting an official body after they printed activist slogans on Morocco’s soccer team jerseys, their attorneys told The Associated Press. They could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

5 years in jail!

They got carried away with the recklessness on social media and ignored wise counsel that you can protest without breaking the law. Smh.

For many ignorant people who think that anyone can incite recklessly and insult/threaten public officials anywhere else apart from Nigeria, I have got news for you. No country in the world will accept it!

Originalsly:
You don't even know you are one of the ignorant people. In which countries is it a crime to insult public officials? ...the US?....Canada? ...India?..the UK? ... Germany? ...South Africa? Back up what you're saying. If Nigeria is the only country in the world where one can insult public officials then Nigeria is the only democratic country. Didn't Kanu incite recklessly?...where is he now? And what law in other countries would be broken by printing a slogan on one's clothing? Enlighten us ...take us out of our ignorance.

@ topic ... Change begins with protests. China changed because of protests.... US war against Vietnam ended because of protests... and there are ongoing mass protests against the US support of Israel's genocide of the Palestinians. Nigeria needs to wake up and get with the programme for change will never come without protests except by coup.

FreeStuffsNG:
Three of the accused appeared in court on Monday before a presiding judge in the capital, Rabat, charged with incitement to commit felonies and insulting an official body after they printed activist slogans on Morocco’s soccer team jerseys, their attorneys told The Associated Press. They could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

5 years in jail!

They got carried away with the recklessness on social media and ignored wise counsel that you can protest without breaking the law. Smh.

For many ignorant people who think that anyone can incite recklessly and insult/threaten public officials anywhere else apart from Nigeria, I have got news for you. No country in the world will accept it!

franchasng:
This will lead to the main protest that will lead to the downfall of the incumbent leader and a possible revolution. These senseless old men parading themselves as leaders of their countries have refused to have sense and accept the reality that the new generation of young people now are no longer comfortable with the mediocre corrupt leadership they have been offering to their nations for decades, which is the main cause of hardship, insecurity and slow progress among citizens.


As western countries continue to tighten their borders, making it more difficult for young people from developing and struggling nations to migrate to better nations for greener pastures, we will continue to witness more youth-inspired political uprisings and revolutions in Africa, Asia, Middle-East and South American countries that their leaders have continued to fail.


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FreeStuffsNG:
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/29/world/morocco-charged-over-2400-gen-z-protests-latam-intl

Ipisi:
Gen-z

Very stubborn generation

Nigeria turn is coming fast

Yobabad:
I could remember when most of us Yoruba Muslims including Tinubu used to protest around Ojota in Lagos during GEJ regime