Three detained in Tangier election case as judicial investigation continues

Three people have been detained in connection with an investigation into suspected election irregularities at a polling station in Tangier during Morocco’s legislative elections, according to information reported by Hespress.

The case centers on Al Quds School in Tangier’s Casabarata district, where tensions broke out Wednesday after election representatives raised concerns over ballot papers found at or near a polling station. Police detained a person who was allegedly carrying a bag containing election papers. Prosecutors subsequently opened a judicial investigation.

Hespress reported Thursday that three people had been detained in connection with the case. The first detainee remained in police custody and was expected to appear before a court Friday, while authorities continued questioning the other two, according to sources cited by the news outlet. The information has not been independently confirmed by prosecutors.

The incident gained national attention after photos and videos circulated online showing election envelopes inside a transparent box at the school. The prosecutor general at the Tangier Court of Appeal ordered an investigation into the footage to establish what happened and determine any legal consequences.

Earlier Wednesday, the prosecutor at Tangier’s Court of First Instance confirmed that a person had been detained inside the grounds of a school hosting a polling station while carrying a bag containing ballot papers. The prosecutor said the investigation was ongoing and that the appropriate legal action would be determined based on its findings.

Some reports said the ballot papers appeared to have been marked in favor of candidates from the Authenticity and Modernity Party, or PAM. Those reports have not established who produced or handled the papers or whether they were ultimately used in the voting process.

PAM rejected what it described as an “orchestrated” campaign linking the party to the incident. Abdelatif Ghalbzouri, the party’s lead candidate in the Tangier-Asilah constituency, said he went to Tangier’s police headquarters with party officials to file a complaint over what he considered defamation against the party, rather than because he had been summoned for questioning over the ballot-paper case.

Hespress also reported, citing sources, that police had not questioned Ghalbzouri or the party’s provincial official in connection with the incident.

The investigation comes as authorities maintain that voting nationwide took place under generally normal conditions, with isolated incidents that did not affect the overall electoral process.

The National Human Rights Council, which monitored the election, separately reported two cases at polling stations 84 and 87 at Al Quds School in Tangier that it described as involving concerns over electoral integrity. The council said it would submit its report to the Office of the Public Prosecutor to support the investigation.

The circumstances surrounding the Tangier incident, including the origin and intended use of the ballot papers, remain subject to the ongoing judicial investigation.