Posted by Freemuse
The Moroccan rapper Al Muntaqim was arrested in August 2015 accused of inciting violence and drug abuse through his song ‘Korsika’. On 9 December 2015 the court cleared him of all charges.
In August 2015, the Public Prosecution at the Court of First Instance in Khenifra city in Morocco instructed the judicial police to immediately arrest the rapper Al Muntaqim (also spelled lmonta9im or Yasin al Muntaqin, also known as The Avenger, and with the real name Yassine Fallate) and place him under sentry.
According to the Moroccan news site Al Ahdath, the arrest was directly linked to the song ‘Korsika’, which the Public Prosecution deemed improper, inciting violence and hatred and posing a threat to public security.
The song, produced by Al Muntaqim and released on youtube.com on 4 July 2015, was claimed to include curses and insults against police forces as well as criticising high profile security officials.
Freemuse has been in close contact with Association Marocaine des Droits Humains (AMDH) which appointed a lawyer to follow Al Muntaqim’s case through its local branch. According to AMDH and Akhbarona News, the rapper appeared before the Court of First Instance in Khenifra on 2 September 2015, accused of inciting violence, drug abuse and insulting the security organisations through his song.
He reappeared before court on 14 October 2015, but based on the request of his lawyer, the judge decided to postpone the ruling until 9 December 2015, in order to give the lawyer time to view the case file.
According to AMDH, Al Muntaqim on 9 December 2015 was cleared of all charges, which were filed against him and found non guilty. AMDH issued a statement denying the charges which were filed against the rapper and criticising the attitude of the State towards the artists and young rappers specifically.
