A Moroccan student has been sentenced to one year in prison for his alleged involvement in the country’s ongoing youth-led “Gen Z 212” protests, marking the first known jail term connected to the movement demanding political and social reforms.
The student, whose name was not disclosed, was convicted by a Casablanca court on charges of “participating in an unauthorised and unarmed gathering” and “insulting the judicial police by providing false information.”
His lawyer, Mohamed Nouini, described the ruling as unjust and vowed to challenge it in court.
“The ruling is unfair, and we will appeal,” Nouini said. “According to a Supreme Court precedent, peaceful sit-ins do not require prior authorisation.”
Nouini explained that his client was arrested on September 30, just three days after the youth protests erupted across several Moroccan cities, including Casablanca and Agadir.
Another defence lawyer, Mohamed Lakhdar, told the court that the student’s arrest was “an unfortunate coincidence,” claiming he was only in Casablanca for a family visit at the time of his detention.
“He neither insulted the police nor provided false information,” Lakhdar argued. “He simply told officers he was a student.”
The Gen Z 212 movement — an online-based youth collective with anonymous organisers — has been staging near-daily demonstrations since late September to protest corruption, poor governance, and the deteriorating state of healthcare and education in the North African country.
The protests gained momentum after the deaths of eight pregnant women during Caesarean sections at a hospital in Agadir, sparking nationwide outrage.
While the demonstrations have been largely peaceful, some cities have witnessed sporadic violence and vandalism. Authorities reported that three people were killed in clashes with police near Agadir, claiming officers acted in self-defence.
According to the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, about 550 people are currently facing prosecution over their alleged participation in the protests, with several still in detention.
Despite the government’s crackdown, the Gen Z 212 collective has continued to mobilise online, calling for new “peaceful sit-ins” and demanding the release of all detained protesters.
“Our struggle is for justice, dignity, and a better Morocco,” the collective wrote in a recent online statement.
