The Casablanca Court of Appeal confirmed on Monday the two-year prison sentence imposed on Moroccan activist Noureddine Aouaj, found guilty of crimes of contempt against state institutions during his participation, the last summer, at a protest against the trial of journalists Soulaiman Raissouni and Omar Radi.
His lawyer, Maître Miloud Kandil explained to the EFE agency that the verdict of the appeal against Aaouaj was delivered during a session held this morning.
Noureddine Aouaj, a member of the February 20 Movement born in 2011 in the fire of the Arab Spring, was sentenced at first instance, last July, for “contempt of constitutional institutions” and “incitement to the commission of crimes by electronic means”. Accustomed to concentrations and demonstrations for human rights, the activist was arrested on June 15 during a sit-in at the door of the Casablanca Court of Appeal, in which he criticized corruption and “popular repression”.
A few days ago, the movement “Moroccans against political detention” expressed its “condemnation of all political trials” in Morocco, calling among other things for the release and acquittal of the activist. “We draw attention to the horrific deterioration of his state of health, as his visual acuity has considerably diminished, which requires the provision of special and urgent health care for him”, denounced the collective of human rights activists.
