A Moroccan court on Friday granted the bail request of rapper Mehdi Black Wind, who has spent almost three weeks in jail on accusations of “undermining institutions”, one of his lawyers told AFP.
The 34-year-old artist, whose real name is El Mahdi Lyoubi, is well known in artistic circles for his lyrics criticising Moroccan society and its inequalities.
Lyoubi was stopped at the airport on July 10 just before boarding a flight to France, where he lives, and was told he was forbidden from leaving the country.
He was summoned by judicial police three days later in Casablanca and has been detained ever since under a provision of the Moroccan penal code that punishes “defamation, insult or offense against the person of the king”.
On Friday, a judge ruled in favour of Lyoubi’s request for provisional release, said Sara Soujar, one of his attorneys in Morocco.
As of Friday afternoon, he was still in custody, but “he’s going to get out”, she added.
She said they had so far not been informed of any measures barring Lyoubi from leaving the country.
The next hearing in his trial is scheduled for October 2.
Several dozen people gathered outside the court in Casablanca on Friday to call for his release, with some holding signs reading “Free Mehdi”, according to images shared by his support committee.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.