Judicial Ruling on Senegalese Supporters
In a significant legal decision, the Moroccan judiciary has upheld the sentences of 18 Senegalese supporters who were accused of hooliganism following the incidents during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) final. This ruling, delivered on April 13, 2026, confirmed prison terms ranging from three months to a full year, reflecting the seriousness of the charges against them. The supporters have been incarcerated since January 18, the day of the match, which was marred by violent clashes and disorderly conduct that allegedly included attacks on law enforcement and damage to sports facilities.
The court's ruling came after the prosecution sought to increase the penalties initially meted out in a lower court. The legal representatives for the accused have maintained that their clients were innocent and were merely reacting to a chaotic environment created during the match. They claimed that many were forced onto the field to escape from projectiles being thrown by other spectators, not as a form of protest against the referee's decisions.
Release of Three Supporters
In a somewhat positive outcome, three of the supporters sentenced to three months in prison are set to be released this Saturday, having completed their terms. The remaining individuals received harsher penalties, with nine facing a year behind bars and substantial fines. Additionally, a French national of Algerian descent was given a three-month sentence for similar behavior during the match.
During the court proceedings, the defense attorney, Naïma El Guellaf, called for the release of video evidence that could potentially exonerate the defendants. However, the prosecution opposed this request, arguing that the crimes had been witnessed in real-time, thereby rendering the evidence unnecessary. The situation escalated during the match when Senegal secured a 1-0 victory, which followed a tumultuous sequence of events, including a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco just after a disallowed goal for Senegal.
As reported by france24.com.
