Moroccan police arrests instigators who violated coronavirus quarantine

The Moroccan people woke up on Sunday to the sad news of many small marches in the cities of Tangier, Fez, Aroui, Tetouan and Salé in total disregard for the protective measures to avert the coronavirus outbreak.

Two young people who instigated dozens of Moroccans to breach the quarantine imposed by authorities to fight coronavirus were arrested on Sunday, the Moroccan police said in a statement.

The arrest comes after many lawyers and ordinary citizens called for the arrest of those who encouraged young people, including children, to mass in streets in total disregard for the precautionary measures taken across the country to prevent the spread of the virus.

A group of lawyers said the call for disobeying the lockdown amounts to terrorist crime that aim at sapping public order and undermine public health.

Theologians also condemned the disobedience as contrary to religious precepts that call for the need to preserve the health and life of the human being.

Moroccans on social media largely condemned the marches as irrational and conducive for the spread of the virus.

The lockdown in Morocco comes after a series of measures including closing all schools, mosques and public gathering venues.

The government has submitted a draft law giving authorities a green light to enforce the lockdown and all the related measures. The draft also sets imprisonment terms ranging from one month to three months for any person violating the quarantine measures.

Total coronavirus cases in Morocco reached 115 by Sunday evening including four deaths.

The total number of coronavirus cases worldwide reached 335,360, while fatalities exceeded 14,610.