Outrage has erupted in Tangier after an investigative judge at the Court of Appeal decided to release a repeat offender accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy.
The controversial case, closely watched by activists, will proceed with a suspect-victim confrontation scheduled for May 5, triggered by the boy’s family’s complaint that initiated legal proceedings.
Sources close to the victim’s family conveyed their disbelief at the release, particularly given the accused’s alleged death threats against the child and his prior drug-related convictions.
They assert the young victim possesses compelling evidence of repeated sexual exploitation.
Hassan El Mourabit, head of the Moroccan Association for Childhood Hope, which is supporting the victim and his family, addressed initial inconsistencies in the child’s identification of the perpetrator.
He attributed these to “intense pressure” and the child’s fear, stressing that such discrepancies should not undermine the “veracity and reliability of the rape incident.”
Expressing surprise at the investigating judge’s decision to allow the perpetrator’s release despite the crime’s gravity, his criminal history, and the grounds for prosecution,El Mourabit simultaneously praised the Public Prosecution’s decision to refer the case and pursue charges.
The Moroccan Childhood Hope Association reiterated its commitment to providing comprehensive legal, medical, and psychological support to victims and their families, underscoring the urgent need for collective efforts to eradicate child sexual abuse in Morocco and ensure justice for survivors.
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