Rape and Murder of Little Hidaya: Outrage Over a Shockingly Lenient Verdict for a Double Atrocity. Civil Society Demands Justice

The ruling, viewed as grossly inadequate given the horrific nature of the crime, has ignited anger among civil society organizations, which describe it as an “incomprehensible verdict” and a form of “disguised impunity.”

A monstrous double crime, a minimal sentence

Hidaya was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and killed. Her body was hidden in an attempt to erase the evidence. The brutality of this act shocked the entire country. Yet the court imposed no more than fifteen years in prison — a decision that, in the eyes of many, fails to reflect the gravity of the crime, the pain inflicted, and the duty to protect children.

“Fifteen years is not a sentence… it’s permission to do it again!”

That is how many activists have reacted, including the association Touche pas à mon enfant, which called the ruling “catastrophic.”

“How do you explain to a mother that her daughter’s killer will one day walk free and rebuild his life? Fifteen years for destroying a child’s life, innocence, and future — it’s indefensible,” the association declared.

According to activists, such a verdict risks trivializing crimes against children and fails to act as a deterrent, at a time when violence against minors is alarmingly on the rise.

Because the offender was a minor, Moroccan law automatically allows for reduced sentences. Yet many legal experts argue that this provision cannot continue to apply in cases of child rape and murder.

A law professor questioned:

“Can we really accept that being a minor erases the horror of such crimes? The law must be reconsidered. Age cannot serve as an excuse when a child’s life is taken.”

A call for urgent reform

This case has reignited a crucial debate: Should Morocco revise its Penal Code and juvenile justice system for sexual and homicidal crimes against children?

Civil society, legal experts, psychologists, and families all agree on one urgent demand — child protection must become absolute. They are calling for:

• A revision of the Penal Code to impose mandatory, non-reducible sentences for sexual or homicidal crimes against minors.
• A reform of the juvenile justice system in such cases.
• A national plan for prevention and child protection.

“Hidaya deserves justice.”

Hidaya’s family now awaits the appeal process, while civil society vows not to remain silent. One haunting question lingers — How many more children must die before the law truly places their protection above everything else?

Translated from Abderrazzak Boussaid’s French article – le7tv