Morocco rapper's jail term for 'insulting public body' upheld

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Rabat: Following the appeal in Taza, a Moroccan court has upheld the eight-month prison sentence for rapper and Islamist activist Souhaib Kabli, known as L7assal. 

The 23-year-old was convicted of ‘insulting a public body’ and ‘undermining the respect due to constitutional institutions’. These charges stem from his music and social media activity criticizing government corruption and Morocco's normalization of ties with Israel.

Kabli, a member of the banned but tolerated Al Adl Wal Ihssane movement, was originally arrested and sentenced in March. Although he faced a maximum of four years in prison, the court maintained the shorter eight-month term. 

During the proceedings, Kabli maintained that he was simply expressing personal opinions without the intent to offend any specific individuals or state institutions.

His legal counsel, Mohammed Taifi, criticized the ruling as an ‘error of judgment,’ arguing that the rapper's work contained no explicitly offensive remarks. The case has drawn criticism from the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, which labeled the arrest a political move to restrict freedom of expression and called for all charges to be dropped. 

Despite these pleas, the court's decision on Tuesday reaffirms the initial judgment.

Photo Credits: L7assal on Instagram