At least 10 Moroccan women running for parliament have been targeted by rising online abuse, including insults, defamation, attacks on their private lives and the spread of allegedly false or offensive content, according to the National Observatory for Protection Against Digital Violence.
The attacks, documented throughout July and early August, have targeted candidates from different political parties as Morocco prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for Sept. 23, 2026.
Bouchra Abdou, president of the observatory, told Hespress AR that some of the practices directed at the candidates were “below standard,” with insults and verbal abuse among the most common forms of harassment.
The observatory said the escalation of what it described as political violence against women in the digital sphere is particularly concerning because the electoral period should encourage women’s political participation and ensure competition based on equality, equal opportunity and respect for human dignity.
Abdou said some candidates had been subjected to derogatory descriptions, including being called “useless,” warning that continued abuse could discourage some women from running for office.
The observatory said it had contacted several of the targeted candidates. Some said they planned to file complaints, while others chose not to, fearing that legal action could create further complications or distract them from their campaigns.
Organized online attacks
The reported abuse has gone beyond individual insults, according to the observatory, which said some candidates have been subjected to “organized or repeated” online campaigns aimed at damaging their political and personal reputations and undermining their presence in public life.
The observatory expressed particular concern because the final picture of women’s candidacies for the 2026 elections has not yet been established.
It also noted that women’s participation in political races and access to elected positions remain below the levels envisioned by Morocco’s commitments to parity and equality.
The organization warned that political violence against women can directly restrict their ability to participate fully and equally in public life by affecting their sense of security, freedom of expression and ability to compete in elections.
Such attacks can also have a broader deterrent effect, it said, sending intimidating messages to other women considering entering political and public life.
New electoral rules face first major test
The 2026 parliamentary elections will also represent the first major test of new punitive provisions introduced under Organic Law No. 53.25, according to the observatory.
The legislation, including Article 51 bis, criminalizes a range of practices carried out through social media, online platforms, information systems and artificial intelligence tools.
The provisions cover the publication of false news, allegations and fabricated or falsified documents intended to violate the privacy of voters or candidates or defame them.
They also target the creation of false or manipulated content designed to undermine the integrity and credibility of electoral processes, with prison and financial penalties предусмотр for offenders.
The observatory stressed that freedom of expression, political criticism and electoral competition remain fundamental to democratic practice.
However, it said those freedoms cannot be used to justify defamation, threats, violations of privacy or the production and dissemination of false or manipulated content intended to harm candidates or improperly influence elections.
Calls for greater protection
The observatory called on political parties, institutions, media organizations and civil society groups to help ensure that the electoral competition respects the dignity and rights of women candidates.
It urged political parties to provide protection and support to their female candidates and to challenge all forms of violence and discrimination directed against them.
It also called on Morocco’s Office of the Public Prosecutor and other relevant authorities to ensure the effective enforcement of the new legal provisions and to respond swiftly and seriously to acts that could constitute electoral offenses or digital attacks.
The observatory said protecting women candidates from online political violence is essential not only for the individuals directly targeted but also for ensuring that intimidation does not discourage other women from participating in Morocco’s political life.
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