Rabat protest demands justice for Islamist detainees on Casablanca attacks anniversary

The Joint Committee for the Defense of Islamist Detainees has announced a protest outside Parliament in Rabat on Saturday, May 16, 2026, marking the 23rd anniversary of the May 16, 2003 attacks in Casablanca, to demand that the «Islamist detainees’ file be closed and those harmed be granted justice».

In a statement received by Yabiladi, the committee said the move comes amid «the absence of any serious initiative to bring this issue to a close and put an end to the suffering of the victims and their families». It added that the case continues to raise questions about the «transparency of the official approach», making it necessary to reopen the investigation into the «true circumstances and motives behind the wave of arrests» that followed the 2003 bombings.

According to the statement, the protest will take place at 11 a.m., with participants calling for a «fair and comprehensive investigation» into the May 16 events, as well as «justice for the victims through their release and compensation for the years they spent in detention». They are also demanding «the repeal of the anti-terrorism law and the consequences it has had for rights and freedoms».

Morocco’s economic capital was struck on May 16, 2003, by a series of bombings targeting several sites, including a restaurant, a hotel, and venues frequented by foreigners. The attacks left dozens dead and injured and were followed by a sweeping wave of arrests targeting Islamists.