Rabat FGD councillor Farouk Mehdaoui gets suspended sentence in defamation case

Municipal councillor and Federation of the Democratic Left (FGD) member, Farouk Mehdaoui, received a three-month suspended sentence yesterday. The Rabat Court of First Instance also imposed a fine of 10,000 dirhams and ordered him to pay 28,000 dirhams in damages to the plaintiff. The local official, who is also a lawyer, faced charges for «spreading false allegations and fabricated facts aimed at harming private lives and defaming individuals».

The complaint was lodged by a supporter of demolition activities in Rabat’s Océan district, who claimed to have been targeted by «false accusations» from Mehdaoui, a vocal critic of the demolitions.

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) expressed outrage over Mehdaoui's verdict, highlighting his role as the NGO's vice-president. In a statement, the organization’s central bureau condemned the ruling as «an attack on freedom of opinion and expression».

This decision follows Mehdaoui's removal from the electoral rolls shortly after being selected as the FGD’s candidate for a capital constituency. Early in July, Farouk Mehdaoui announced his intention to appeal the Rabat Administrative Court's decision, which denied his request to overturn the removal.