Four activists advocating for victims of the 2023 Morocco earthquake appeared in court on Monday, facing charges including defamation. Said Ait Mahdi, head of the Al Haouz Earthquake Victims Coordination, is in custody on allegations of defamation, insulting public officials, and spreading false claims.
The charges stem from social media posts criticising the government’s handling of the disaster. The other three defendants, who also face charges of insulting public officials, are free pending trial.
The earthquake, which struck in September 2023, killed nearly 3,000 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in the High Atlas mountains. Ait Mahdi’s group has been calling for faster reconstruction efforts to support affected families. Moroccan authorities have issued over 57,000 reconstruction permits and allocated $740 million to help rebuild homes.
