The Agadir Primary Court has handed down a four-year prison sentence and a fine of 50,000 dirhams to a defendant found guilty of using «Facebook» to incite vandalism and call for crimes that jeopardize public safety. This marks the first judicial verdict related to the recent riots that have rocked several cities. Last Saturday morning, the Agadir Court of Appeal was a hub of activity, as reported by Assabah newspaper, with 51 detainees brought before the public prosecutor for their roles in these disturbances. The prosecutor ordered 40 of them to be held in Ait Melloul prison, charging them with a litany of offenses including vandalism, rioting, arson, breaking into official facilities, assaulting security forces, and obstructing public roads. The unrest, which erupted last Tuesday and Wednesday, spread across multiple areas in the region, such as Qliaa, Sidi Bibi, Ait Amira, Inezgane, Oulad Teima, and Taroudant. Videos and photos have captured unprecedented violence, with storefronts smashed, cars damaged, and both public and private properties set ablaze. Some suspects are also accused of attempting to storm the Royal Gendarmerie center in Qliaa to seize firearms, escalating the severity of the charges. Security and judicial investigations are in full swing to identify additional participants, with the number of detainees already surpassing 300. These individuals have been referred to the public prosecutor as part of an extensive security operation conducted by the National Security and Royal Gendarmerie forces throughout the Souss region.
