Man arrested near Er-Rich for giving alcohol to his minor brother in viral video

Moroccan authorities have arrested a man accused of giving alcohol to a minor after a video showing the incident circulated widely on social media, according to a statement released by the National Security services this weekend.

The suspect was apprehended in Douar Ksar Taiba, on the outskirts of Er-Rich, during a joint operation carried out by National Security and the Royal Gendarmerie. The arrest followed a technical investigation launched after authorities reviewed footage showing a man offering alcoholic beverages to a child in circumstances deemed harmful to the minor’s health and likely to expose him to the risks of addiction.

Investigators were able to identify the suspect and establish that the child featured in the video is his younger brother.

The man has been placed in police custody pending a judicial investigation ordered by the competent public prosecutor’s office to determine the full circumstances and motives behind the case.

The incident comes just days after a similar case sparked outrage in Morocco. In late May, the King’s Prosecutor at the Benslimane Court of First Instance ordered the detention of three brothers and their prosecution while in custody after a video showed them encouraging their six-year-old nephew to drink alcohol. The suspects are facing charges including intentional harm, complicity and failure to assist a person in danger. The footage prompted widespread condemnation on social media and renewed calls for accountability in cases involving the endangerment of children.