Social media has multiplied attacks on reputation and privacy. They do not take place in a lawless zone: several texts make it possible to act against the author and obtain the removal of the content.
Defamation and insult
Defamation consists of alleging or attributing a fact that harms a person’s honour or reputation; an insult is an outrageous expression that attributes no fact. Both are punished by the Criminal Code and, when they go through a press medium, by the Press and Publishing Code (Law No. 88-13).
Invasion of privacy
Since Law No. 103-13, the Criminal Code (Articles 447-1 and following) punishes recording or distributing, without consent, words spoken in private or the image of a person in a private place, as well as distributing doctored content or false allegations intended to invade privacy.
The right reflexes
- Record the posts with dated screenshots and, where possible, through a judicial officer.
- Do not respond publicly, to avoid escalating the conflict.
- Report the content to the platform.
- File a complaint quickly, before the content disappears.
The firm's view
In these cases speed matters: content that has been properly recorded is content that can be prosecuted.
Maître Malak Elimani assists people targeted by defamatory posts or invasions of their privacy. This article provides general information and is not a substitute for legal advice.
Reference texts
Further reading
- Criminal law
- Police Custody in Morocco: Duration, Rights and Your Lawyer
- Filing a criminal complaint in Morocco: the steps and what happens next
- Alternative sentences: what Law 43-22 changes for defendants and victims
- Hacking and online blackmail: what to do in Morocco?
- Fraud or breach of trust: what is the difference?
The information on this website is general and does not replace legal advice. Every situation requires an analysis of its own facts and documents.