Morocco- Six men, who raped a 15-year-old girl in a town near the southern city of Tata, stood trial yesterday. The second hearing of the rape trial was held by the Agadir Court of Appeal with the attendance of girl’s lawyers and human rights organization. The court postponed the hearing to October 4.

After the hearing, women’s rights activists gathered in front of the courthouse and called on the court to give the heaviest punishment to the rapists without no impunity.

What had happened?

In 2021, a 15-year-old girl named Fatima Zahra was raped by six men, including her coach in a local football team, in a town near the southern city of Tata. The incident was revealed when the child became pregnant. In 2022, the Agadir’s Court of First Instance sentenced six men to 12 months in prison. And this prison sentence sparked anger in Morocco. After the reaction, the trial was held again by the Agadir Court of Appeal. Since the incident was first heard, Moroccan women’s organizations have followed up the case closely and demanded the perpetrators be given the heaviest punishment.