Morocco issues judicial rulings against rioters in the Throne Cup match

The Rabat Court of First Instance on Tuesday sentenced eight people to prison terms of between 4 months and a year for rioting after a football match, their defense told AFP.

Their lawyer, Mohamed Elmo, said that the court "decided to convict the eight fans on charges including 'participation in violence' and 'damage to public property', while acquitting other defendants," noting that he would appeal the verdicts against the convicts.

They belong to a group of 70 people, including several minors, who were arrested in mid-March following violent riots that followed the match in which the Royal Army Club in Rabat hosted the Maghreb Fez Club, which ended with its exclusion from the third round of the Throne Cup competition.

Heavy charges were brought against some of those pursued in this case, such as "forming a criminal gang", "described theft" and "attempted rape".

These events also left dozens of security forces and fans injured, without serious injuries.

It also prevented the fans of the Royal Army Club from watching its matches for the remainder of the season.

It was the first of its kind since fans returned to the stands at the end of February, but Moroccan stadiums have witnessed similar incidents in recent years.

Local media also report from time to time about incidents outside stadiums in the neighborhoods of Casablanca, between fans of the city's two rival clubs, Raja and Wydad.

The most violent of these incidents resulted in the killing of fans in March 2016. Since then, the authorities have been very resolute in combating the scourge of riots.

Subsequently, it decided to dissolve groups of "ultras" (fan groups) and banned any special slogans or banners in stadiums, before allowing them to return in 2018.

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