Speaking of Hirak detainees convicted by the Casablanca first instance court, Amnesty International argued that these protesters have been «denied their right to a fair trial». In a note made public on Monday, December the 17th, the London-based non-governmental organization stressed that the «first trial proceedings resulted in a gross miscarriage of justice». After interviewing six Hirak lawyers, and families of the detainees and analyzing charge sheets, the public prosecutor's arguments, the court's judgement and reports on the case by national and international organization and the media, Amnesty International revealed that «the Moroccan government used these flawed legal proceedings to punish and silence prominent, peaceful social justice protesters and to intimidate others from speaking out». «Morocco's judicial authorities must ensure the appeal trial does not descend into another charade marred by torture complaints and other fair trial violations», said Heba Morayef, Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International. «For the Moroccan authorities to show they are serious about justice they need to take concrete steps to discard any confessions obtained under torture or threat of torture and ensure all rights to a fair trial are respected during the appeal». Heba Morayef, Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International For the record, the Casablanca court convicted in June 2018 Hirak activists to sentences ranging from one to 20 years in prison. Eleven of them were granted a royal pardon in August while 43 are now being heard by the Casablanca appeal court.
