The appeals court in Casablanca upheld the prison terms handed to dozen Rif protest leaders after a first instance verdict gave sentences from one year suspended to twenty years in jail. Authorities accused the activists of undermining public order and national unity as well as violence against law enforcement agents. The movement’s leader Nasser Zefzafi and three others received prison terms of 20 years for threatening the security of the state. Other sentences also confirmed on appeal ranged from one to 15 years. More than 600 security forces personnel were wounded and seven million dirhams ($730,000) of damage caused, according to Moroccan authorities.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 06, 2019 12:56 UTC