Morocco: Probe Launched 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 on the involvement of national figures and institutions in an international drug trafficking case. This decision comes following the publication of social media posts accusing national figures and institutions of involvement in an international drug trafficking case, in which 25 people were referred to this Prosecutor General’s Office, including MPs, territorial officials and law enforcement officials, 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, and 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 of which they are accused. 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. Reaffirming the results of the investigation into this case, the Prosecutor General’s Office underlined that it ordered a probe into fake news, which was entrusted to the National Brigade of the Judicial Police, in order to identify those involved in fabricating and publishing fake news.