Leader of religious group Al-Adl Wal Ihsane jailed for sexual offense

Meknes court of appeal sentenced Wednesday the leader of religious group Al-Adl Wal Ihsane to one year in prison for charges of sexual assault. 

 Mohammed Aarab Baasou was sentenced to one year of imprisonment, a fine of 5,000 dirhams, and was ordered to pay a compensation of 60,000 dirhams.

Baasou was charged of sexual harassment as well as insult to modesty while the charge of human trafficking was dropped. 

The leader of the group in Meknes has been found guilty following a trial on misdemeanor and criminal charges. 

The public prosecutor has been actively pursuing the case since November, accusing him of enticing people through fraud and deception, misusing his position, exploiting the vulnerable and needy, with the aim of sexually exploiting them, and subjecting females to violent sexual assault.

Baasou asserted his innocence regarding all the charges leveled against him. 

He stated that “he had been subjected to pressures, threats, and extortion during his period of pre-trial detention,” according to a statement published on the official website of Al-Adl Wal Ihsane.

According to the same source, Baasou further disclosed that “the investigators had engaged him in discussions unrelated to the case entirely and had no relevance to it whatsoever.” adding that “his incarceration is due to his belonging to Al-Adl Wal Ihsane wherein he has grown up since his youth.”

Al-Adl Wal Ihsane had previously organized a protest rally in the vicinity of the Court of Appeal in Meknes, condemning the “arbitrary and politically motivated” arrest of Baasou and calling for his release.