The King's prosecutor at the Casablanca Criminal Court of First Instance confirmed the arrest of Moroccan YouTuber 3robi F Merican, citing «insulting and defamatory expressions against constitutional institutions, organized establishments and public officials». Moroccan YouTuber Chafik Omerani, better known as «3robi F Merican», was arrested on Saturday at the Rabat-Salé airport by Moroccan police. He traveled to the Kingdom from the United States where he resides, after a stopover in Brussels. «I headed to Rabat-Salé airport at 7 pm this evening to pick up my brother Chafik from Belgium. The plane landed at 19:22», his brother Mohamed Omerani said on Facebook. He added that «everyone got off the plane» except his brother, who later called him to tell him that the police had arrested him. «At 9 pm, someone informed me that my brother is at the Rabat police station. At midnight, another person told me that he is being held in Casablanca for 48 hours», he added. Mohamed Omerani subsequently indicated that the judicial police in Casablanca confirmed the latter information to him. Un autre. Chafik Lamrani @3robi_F_Merican, un youtuber maroco-américain vient d'être arrêté à l'aéroport de Rabat-Salé par des éléments de la police marocaine. Il venait d'atterrir en provenance des Etats-Unis, après une escale par Bruxelles.@USEmbMorocco — Ali Lmrabet علي المرابط (@Alilmrabet) February 6, 2021 In a video published Friday before landing in Morocco, the YouTuber explained that he had reportedly been «pressured» and «threatened» not to go to the Kingdom. «I am making this video in case I am the victim of arrest, forced disappearance or murder. The responsibility lies within the security apparatus from which I received these threats. I take this opportunity to say that it is time to put an end to the political police in Morocco», he said. «Insults and defamation» against institutions and public officials The King's prosecutor at the Casablanca criminal court reacted to this case on Sunday. In a statement accessed by Yabiladi, Mohamed Anis insisted on «denying claims relayed on social media on his kidnapping». «The person concerned is wanted for suspicion of acts of a criminal nature», he explains, adding that Chafik Omerani «has published a series of videos containing insulting and defamatory expressions against constitutional institutions, organized establishments and public officials». «After his arrest on 02/06/2021 and the notification of his legal rights, he was taken into police custody, and his family was notified of this procedure in the person of his brother, Mr. Mohamed Omerani», the press release revealed. «An inquiry under the supervision of the general prosecutor's office has been opened, in full compliance with legal procedures», it added. Chafik Omerani has been publishing videos, criticizing Morocco for several years. In a video entitled «The cinema of Hammouchi and its links with the French», the YouTuber had called, four months ago, Moroccans to «carry out an unprecedented campaign to call on France to release the political detainees imprisoned in Morocco», believing that «it is France which governs in Morocco».
