فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Fez – In a dramatic legal reversal, the Appeals Court in Fez has ordered the retrial of the director of the “People’s Rights” center on charges of embezzling public funds. This comes after Morocco’s Supreme Court overturned two previous rulings that had acquitted the defendant in 2023.
The case stems from a complaint filed by an international donor organization alleging mismanagement of funds earmarked for a human rights project. While initial courts had cleared the director after the organization withdrew its complaint, public prosecutors successfully appealed the acquittals.
Key developments:
- Case reopened in April 2024 after Supreme Court review
- Previous absentia verdicts set aside due to defendant’s health-related court absences
- Original investigation launched following financial discrepancies in donor-funded programs
Legal observers note this retrial underscores growing judicial scrutiny of NGO fund management. The case has drawn attention to accountability mechanisms for international grants in Morocco’s civil society sector.
The defendant’s legal team maintains their client’s innocence, while human rights groups express concern about potential chilling effects on nonprofit operations. Court proceedings are expected to examine detailed financial audits of the contested projects.
