Fès: Prosecution reopens inquiry into electoral blackmail complaint from 2021
The Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Appeal of Fès is relaunching an inquiry into allegations of blackmail during the 2021 electoral campaign, following a press conference held by a defence lawyer.
Fès: prosecution relaunches inquiry into allegations of electoral blackmail
The Public Prosecutor of the King at the Court of Appeal of Fès announced on Saturday that the Public Prosecutor's Office intends to pursue an inquiry into a complaint filed by a detainee alleging blackmail and threats of imprisonment suffered during the 2021 electoral campaign, according to lesiteinfo.com.
In a statement, the Public Prosecutor of the King specified that the decision to relaunch the inquiry follows a press conference organised by one of the lawyers at the Fès Bar. During this conference, the defence presented details relating to the complaint of its client — currently incarcerated — which did not appear in the initial filing.
A complaint filed in June 2025
The detainee, who was then imprisoned at Ras El Ma local prison, submitted on 23 June 2025, through his first lawyer, a complaint against several individuals. He alleged that he had been a victim of blackmail and threats of imprisonment during the 2021 electoral campaign.
In response to this complaint, the Public Prosecutor's Office opened an inquiry and sent a deputy public prosecutor to the penitentiary establishment on three occasions in order to record the complainant's statement. All three attempts were unsuccessful: on 8 August 2025, the detainee cited fatigue as grounds for refusing to make any statement; on 11 August, he justified his refusal on health grounds and the lack of prior consultation with his defence; on 17 August, he stated that he would refrain from making any statement on account of his entry into a hunger strike.
Provisional dismissal, then reactivation
Faced with the complainant's persistent refusal to provide supporting details or clarification for his allegations, and in the absence of evidence corroborating the complaint, the Public Prosecutor's Office decided, on 29 August 2025, to provisionally dismiss the case. Notice of this decision was sent to the complainant, who refused to receive it.
On 14 July 2026, the defence submitted a request to the Public Prosecutor's Office seeking the lifting of the provisional dismissal and the reactivation of the procedure. Upon examination, it appeared that this request contained no new elements capable of justifying a reversal of the dismissal, notably no additional means of proof. The Prosecutor therefore decided to maintain the dismissal decision and to inform the complainant of this.
Unprecedented details revealed in press conference
It was ultimately the press conference organised by the lawyer that led the Prosecutor to revise its position. Elements presented publicly by the defence and absent from the initial complaint drew the attention of the Public Prosecutor. In the exercise of its prerogatives, the latter announced its intention to pursue the inquiry and to draw the necessary legal consequences from it.
The statement also raises several questions about the approach of the complainant, who repeatedly refused to cooperate with representatives of the prosecution during their visits to the prison, whilst publicly denouncing the absence of an inquiry.
Source: Google News MA