Former Moroccan Minister Mohammed Ziane Faces Additional Five-Year Sentence

Monday 22 July 2024 - 09:30

Mohammed Ziane, 82, sentenced for embezzlement and misuse of public funds amid ongoing legal battles.

In a significant legal development, former Moroccan minister Mohammed Ziane has been handed an additional five-year prison sentence on charges of embezzlement and misuse of public funds. This new ruling comes as Ziane, who is already serving a three-year sentence on separate charges, continues to make headlines.

The Rabat Court of Appeal delivered its verdict in the early hours of Saturday, attributing the charges to misappropriated funds during the 2015 electoral campaign for the Moroccan Liberal Party (PML), which Ziane founded. Prosecutors allege that Ziane unlawfully diverted approximately €100,000 in state funding intended for the party's campaign activities.

Ziane, who served as Minister of Human Rights from 1995 to 1996, has been detained since November 2022. His lawyer and son, Ali Reda Ziane, condemned the five-year sentence, describing it as “a form of life sentence for an 81-year-old man while legally nothing has been proven.” The defense team has announced plans to appeal the ruling.

The case originated from a complaint filed by the current leadership of the PML, accusing Ziane of misusing public funds allocated to the party. Following thorough investigations, it was concluded that Ziane and other defendants were involved in financial misconduct, including the misappropriation of public funds, misuse of electoral support funds, and illegal fundraising activities.

Currently incarcerated at El Arjat prison near Rabat, Ziane is also serving a three-year sentence imposed in May 2023. This sentence followed a complaint from the Interior Ministry and encompasses charges such as insulting public officials and the judiciary, defamation, adultery, and sexual harassment. Ziane has consistently denied all allegations against him.

In the same case, two other PML officials, Rachid B. and Miloud Ch., were also convicted. Rachid B. received a five-year sentence identical to Ziane's, while Miloud Ch. was sentenced to two years in prison, with one year suspended, and fined MAD 5,000.

Human rights organizations have expressed concerns regarding the fairness of the legal proceedings against Ziane. They have called for his release on humanitarian grounds, citing his advanced age and health issues, including ankylosing spondylitis, a debilitating inflammatory condition affecting his spine.

As the legal battles continue, the saga of Mohammed Ziane remains a focal point in Moroccan political and judicial discourse, raising questions about the intersection of justice, politics, and human rights in the country.