Morocco: Probe into fake news related to international drug trafficking case

The Prosecutor General’s Office at the Casablanca Court of Appeal launched a probe into fake news claiming the involvement of national figures and institutions in an international drug trafficking case.

The probe was launched after posts on social media accused Moroccan figures and institutions of involvement in an international drug trafficking case.

In this case, 25 people are being prosecuted. They include MPs, officials in charge of the management of local affairs, and even civil servants responsible for enforcing the law, the King’s Prosecutor at the Casablanca Court of Appeal said in a press release.

In keeping with the constitutional right to access information, the King’s Prosecutor at the Casablanca Court of Appeal noted that he had previously announced, in a press release dated December 24, 2023, the preliminary conclusions of the investigation conducted in this case according to the legally established judicial procedures, under the supervision of this Prosecutor General’s Office. The press release also revealed the number of alleged suspects, who are being investigated by the investigating judge based on the petition submitted by the Prosecutor General’s Office regarding the crimes they are accused of.

Based on this, all media reports and social media posts on the involvement of national figures and institutions in this case are mere allegations and fake news that entail legal liability in view of the allegations and baseless accusations targeting individuals and institutions, as well as defamation and reputation damage.

The Prosecutor General’s Office, reaffirming the results of the investigation into this case, underlined that it ordered a probe into the fake news, and that the probe was entrusted to the National Brigade of the Judicial Police, in order to identify those involved in fabricating and publishing fake news.