Rabat-a Court in Marrakech has convicted a 19-year-old girl who was identified as Ghadir A. for nine months in prison for threats and cyberbullying social media influencers Selma, which she physically attacked two years earlier.
The case achieved widespread attention in the Moroccan social media, especially after Ghadir published the recent videos who appeared Selmas and proudly expressed a violent blade attack that she carried out two years ago.
The incident Data back by 2022, when Ghadir and Selma were still in high school. During a heated dispute, Ghadir took a razor blade and opened Selma’s face, leaving a deep wound that required 56 stitches and causing a permanent scar. Despite the severity of the attack, Ghadir only served two months in prison at that time.
Selma later broke off the school, but began to share its history online and received support and followers. She initially covered her scar with an association, but after people asked for it, she opened her about what had happened to her.
At the beginning of this year, Ghadir online reappeared and published disturbing videos that mock Selma’s face and laughed at the previous attack. In a video she said: “I left prison two years ago, but is your face repaired?” Your comments caused outrage on social media, and many people demanded justice and greater punishment.
In response to the public counter reaction, the police in Marrakech opened an investigation under the supervision of the public prosecutor. Ghadir was arrested and the authorities confiscated a digital device that contained the threatening videos.
On Friday, the Criminal Chamber of the Marrakeech Court of First Instance Ghadir was guilty of defamation. She was sentenced to nine months in prison to pay and ordered Selma MAD 30,000 (approx. 3,000 US dollars) to pay compensation with a fine of MAD 2,500 (approx. 250 US dollars).
The case was monitored by the public prosecutor’s office Khalid Rakiq, which the police noted to examine the threatening videos on social media.
Many Moroccans expressed relief that Ghadir was finally convicted, but said that nine months were not sufficient given the violence of the original attack and harassment.
