Rapper Mehdi Black Wind referred to trial in custody

The Public Prosecutor's Office in Casablanca has decided to prosecute Moroccan rapper Mehdi El Youbi, better known by his stage name Mehdi Black Wind, while in custody, referring him to trial at a hearing on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, according to Voice of Morocco.

Mehdi El Youbi was placed in police custody on the evening of Monday, July 13, after being questioned by the National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ) in Casablanca. He had also been barred from leaving Morocco for France late last week.

The reasons for his prosecution have not yet been officially disclosed. It remains unclear whether the case is linked to his music, known for its critical take on social and political issues, to calls for protests circulating on social media and attributed to the group known as «Generation Z», or to an unrelated matter.