Moroccan MPs propose legislation to limit cyber violence, online harassment against women

In response to the rise of cybercrime in Morocco, especially against women, the Popular Movement part’s House of Representatives team proposed a draft law to enhance legislation combating harassment and violence online.

The said law’s introductory note, presented by the popular movement party’s head Idriss Sentissi, and the rest of the team members, stipulates that Morocco has engaged in several initiatives, whether at the institutional or legal level, to advance women’s rights and combat all forms of discrimination against them, pointing to the development of the national legal arsenal in the field of protecting women’s rights and combating violence against them per the law.

The General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) reported that cybercrime has climbed by 6% in 2023, with 5,969 cases handled, 842 letters rogatory executed, and 874 persons imprisoned.

The popular movement party explained that the global digital expansion, which Morocco and the rest of the world are experiencing, has contributed to the spread of cybercrime and “digital blackmail.” 

The phenomenon is negatively impacting Moroccan society, explained the note citing a prior study in support of this claim. 

Revenge porn topped the list of cybercrimes, with 31% of 180 court decisions by the National Council for Human Rights being about incidents of violence against women.

In light of these circumstances, the political party proposed amending Law No. 103.13’s first article, which addresses violence against women, by defining “cyber violence” in a way that is comparable to the definitions of physical, psychological, and economic violence against women. This would make cyber violence ” an assault or threat for blackmail, defamation, or physical or moral harm to women using digital technologies of various kinds.”

Chapters 447-1 and 447-2 of the same law specify the acts and punishments for those who commit threatening crimes with the intent to extort using information systems. 

The popular movement team suggested adding the phrase “threatens to blackmail people by any means” to the requirements of these two chapters, so anyone who does so will be subject to the newly outlined penalties.

The document suggested adding to Chapters 444-1 and 444-2 of the same law by stating that the crime of insult and slander against a woman due to her gender can be committed through any means, including information systems. 

Chapter One of this law stipulates that anyone who insults a woman due to her gender will be fined between MAD 12.000 and MAD 60,000.

The political party suggests including information systems in the list of means by which this act can be committed while keeping the same punishment.

On the other hand, the “Sunboula” parliamentary team suggested extending the definition of the crime of defamation against women covered by Article 444-2 of Law No. 103.13, which addresses violence against women, to include information systems. The proposed penalty for this offense is of fines ranging from MAD 12,000 to MAD 120,000.