Morocco court orders protest leader to stand trial

By Mohamed Tahiri

RABAT, Morocco (AA) - A Casablanca court has ended investigations into a number of activists arrested three months ago for taking part in anti-government protests in Morocco’s northern Al-Rif region, according to a local legal source.

Late Wednesday, the court ordered protest leader Nasser Zefzafi -- and six other activists -- to stand trial on charges of “harming the integrity of the state”, defense lawyer Mohamed Aghnaj told Anadolu Agency.

According to Aghnaj, a date for the trial will be announced at some point later this week.

For the last 10 months, Morocco’s northern Al-Rif region -- especially the city of Al-Hoceima -- has been rocked by protests by local youth demanding jobs and an end of perceived government corruption.

On several occasions, the demonstrations have been forcibly dispersed by security forces, leading to a number of injuries -- and at least one death -- among protesters.

Demonstrations first erupted last October when a local fisherman, Mohsen Fikri, was crushed to death by a garbage truck in Al-Hoceima while protesting attempts by police to confiscate his fish.

Since then, at least 250 people have been arrested for taking part in the demonstrations, dozens of whom remain in police custody.