Morocco has increased penalties for several election-related offenses ahead of the Sept. 23 parliamentary vote, including interference with voting, ballot tampering, breaches of voting secrecy and attempts to manipulate election results.
The changes are part of Organic Law No. 53.25, which amended Organic Law No. 27.11 governing elections to the House of Representatives. The amended law was published in Morocco’s Official Gazette in January 2026.
Under the amended provisions, people who interfere with the electoral process by breaking ballot boxes, taking or destroying ballots, replacing ballots, attempting to alter results or violating voting secrecy can face five to 10 years in prison and fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 Moroccan dirhams ($5,400 to $10,800).
The penalties represent an increase from the previous prison term of one to two years and fines of 20,000 to 50,000 dirhams.
The law also provides five to 10 years in prison and fines of 50,000 to 100,000 dirhams for anyone who removes a ballot box before the ballots inside have been counted. The previous penalty was one to five years in prison and a fine of 20,000 to 50,000 dirhams.
People who offer money or gifts to buy votes, or attempt to persuade voters not to cast ballots through such inducements, can face two to five years in prison and fines of 50,000 to 100,000 dirhams.
The amended law also expands the consequences beyond prison and financial penalties.
People convicted under several of the election-related provisions can be barred from voting for five years and from standing for election for two consecutive parliamentary terms. This replaces a previous provision under which certain convictions resulted in a two-year ban on voting.
The legislation also establishes penalties for acts that violate or attempt to violate voting secrecy, compromise the integrity of the vote or disrupt the electoral process through fraudulent practices.
Those found guilty of such offenses can face two to five years in prison and fines of 50,000 to 100,000 dirhams.
The provision explicitly covers the use of social media, open broadcasting networks, artificial intelligence tools, online platforms and applications, and computer systems in connection with such offenses, whether committed before, during or after voting.
The penalty is doubled when the offense is committed by a public employee or an official working for the state administration or a local authority.
In addition, people convicted under the provision can be deprived of their civic rights for at least five years.
The amended electoral law was adopted as part of a broader update to the legal framework governing elections to Morocco’s House of Representatives. The official gazette lists Organic Law No. 53.25 as amending provisions including Articles 58, 59, 62-68 and other sections of Organic Law No. 27.11.
Moroccans will vote on Sept. 23 to elect a new House of Representatives, with the results determining the parliamentary composition from which a government majority will be formed.
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.