MARRAKECH, Morocco — A prominent activist in Morocco, who has been at the forefront of protests criticizing the government’s response to the recent earthquake, received a prison sentence on Monday that has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations as arbitrary and politically charged.
Said Ait Mahdi, aged 32 and president of a significant activist organization in a region heavily affected by the earthquake, was sentenced to three months in prison and fined over $1,000, as reported by his lawyer, Isaac Charia. The charges against him included defamation, assault, and inciting an unauthorized demonstration.
The earthquake, which struck with a magnitude of 6.8 in September 2023, devastated the Al Haouz region, resulting in nearly 3,000 fatalities and destroying homes, schools, and health facilities, while also making mountain roads impassable for aid.
Ait Mahdi is notable for being the first activist from the earthquake-stricken area to receive such a sentence. Throughout the aftermath, protests have emerged sporadically in various towns and villages, with protestors alleging that both local and regional officials have mismanaged recovery efforts, leaving many survivors residing in tents or makeshift shelters as they await permanent housing.
According to Charia, those facing similar charges to Ait Mahdi usually receive sentences of approximately one year; thus, he perceived the three-month term as less severe than expected. Additionally, three other activists who faced comparable charges were acquitted on the same day, marking their third court appearance since their arrests in December.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights denounced Ait Mahdi’s arrest, calling it an unjust act stemming from his advocacy for the earthquake victims and the affected region. Furthermore, a coalition of NGOs and leftist political groups, known as the Local Coordination for the Defense of Freedoms and the Right to Organize, asserted last month that the charges were an attempt to “conceal serious violations” related to the government’s flawed response to the earthquake.
Following Ait Mahdi’s arrest, his defense coalition called for his immediate release, condemning the use of oppressive measures aimed at retaliating against activist efforts.
The disaster has intensified long-standing inequities in Morocco, particularly in regions inhabited by indigenous minority populations. Areas that were already suffering from inadequate infrastructure were hit hard, with government figures reporting damages to more than 60,000 homes and at least 585 schools. In response to the crisis, Morocco has committed over $11.5 billion to support recovery and reconstruction efforts over the next five years, sizing funds for rebuilding homes and offering financial assistance to displaced families.
In addition to protests in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter, including towns like Amizmiz and Talaat N’Yaacoub, activist groups have organized demonstrations in larger urban centers. Recently, the Civil Coalition of the Mountain, comprising various NGOs and associations from the affected area, held a demonstration in Rabat outside Morocco’s parliament to highlight the “slow pace of reconstruction” 16 months post-earthquake.
This group had previously referred to Ait Mahdi as “the voice of the oppressed and earthquake victims.” Last month, hundreds gathered outside the Marrakech courthouse where he was on trial, carrying his portrait and demanding his release.
