Yassine Chabli, a 28-year-old Moroccan national from Ben Guerir, died on October 6, 2022, while in police custody under circumstances indicative of torture and severe mistreatment. A trained industrial maintenance technician and practitioner of martial arts, he was arrested on October 5, 2022, by two police officers while sitting in a public park.
During his detention at the Ben Guerir police station, Chabli was reportedly subjected to prolonged physical abuse, including being handcuffed in stress positions, struck repeatedly, and denied adequate medical care despite visible signs of distress. Surveillance footage viewed during closed court sessions revealed deliberate acts of violence, including beatings while he was restrained.
Although the authorities have taken certain steps to investigate Yassine Chabli’s death and have brought charges against four police officers, the investigation and subsequent proceedings did not meet international standards. In particular, the acts committed were not classified as torture, and the officers involved were not prosecuted and tried accordingly.
Between 2023 and 2025, the four police officers suspected of involvement in the death of Yassine Chabli were tried before correctional chambers in Marrakesh and Ben Guerir, even though courts of first instance had previously declared themselves incompetent on the grounds that the alleged acts should have been classified as torture, which falls under the jurisdiction of criminal chambers. Three of the four officers were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms.
Upon learning of his death on October 6, 2022, Yassine Chabli’s family actively sought answers and accountability. They filed a murder complaint, carried out advocacy efforts and organized multiple demonstrations. The family regrets that the charge of torture has not been retained and asks that that full transparency be ensured. In particular, they have consistently called for the release of the video recordings taken during Yassine Chabli’s custody, to no avail.
In response to their claims, the authorities took a number of measures to try to discourage them. On December 6, 2022, they were summoned by the judicial police in Marrakech and charged with insulting public officials, attempting to influence judicial decisions, organizing unauthorized protests, and disrupting public order.
On October 10, 2024, they were convicted and sentenced to suspended terms of imprisonment ranging from one to four months, in addition to fines payable to the police complainants.
More recently, on June 27, 2025, Said and Ayman Chabli were both arrested. The day before, they had taken part in a sit-in in front of the Marrakech court on the occasion of the appeal trial of three of the four police officers involved in the death of Yassine Chabli, which coincided with the International day in support of victims of torture. They had also set up a makeshift camp outside the Ben Guerir Court of First Instance to demand full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding their borther’s death during the 65 days leading up to their arrest.
On July 14, 2025, the Ben Guerir Court of First Instance sentenced Said and Ayman Chabli to three months in prison. They were both found guilty of “contempt of public officials”. In the case of Ayman, he was found guilty of “insulting the Islamic religion.” The judgment was upheld on appeal on October 2, 2025.
Such proceedings raise serious concerns regarding the misuse of the justice system to intimidate and silence victims’ families and discourage demands for accountability in cases involving alleged police abuse.
What actions did MRG and AMDH take?
On July 2, 2025, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights and MENA Rights Group submitted a communication to the Special Procedures, urging them to call upon the Moroccan authorities to ensure full transparency regarding the death in custody of Yassine Chabli and to refrain from obstructing his relatives when they organize spontaneous gatherings to assert their right to truth and justice.