In a decisive move, Moroccan authorities have arrested two women and placed a 15-year-old girl in custody for spreading false information on social media about child abductions. This crackdown comes in the wake of heightened public anxiety following the tragic discovery of the bodies of three missing children across various regions in the country. The alarming situation has sparked a wave of unfounded rumors, leading local institutions and media outlets to issue warnings about the proliferation of misinformation.
The arrests were announced after the individuals involved released a video on social media that falsely suggested a young girl had been the target of an attempted abduction by an unknown woman in Berrechid. Local police reported that an investigation was launched upon confirming that no official reports had been filed regarding the alleged kidnapping, highlighting the concerns surrounding the spread of such false claims.
This incident is particularly concerning given the recent cases of child disappearances that have gripped the nation. Among the most distressing was the case of two-year-old Soundous, who vanished from her home in Chefchaouen and was later found deceased in a river. Another tragic case involved Younes, a little over a year old, who disappeared from a village in Zagora and was discovered in a nearby irrigation canal. Additionally, 13-year-old Hiba went missing after getting off her school bus in the Azilal region, with her body being recovered from a lake after an extensive search lasting nine days.
The wave of missing children has not only created panic among the public but has also fueled a series of alarming rumors, including claims of child abductions for ritualistic purposes or organ trafficking. These unfounded allegations have been swiftly refuted by official bodies, civil organizations, and local media, who are working hard to combat the spread of misinformation during this sensitive time.
Abdelilah Khodari, director of the Moroccan Human Rights Center, has pointed out that the root of the issue lies in the country's child protection system. He has called on the government to implement policies that better protect children and support vulnerable families to mitigate such risks. While there are no updated official statistics on child disappearances in Morocco, it is noteworthy that the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) launched the initiative "My Missing Child" in 2023, aimed at expediting the search for missing minors. As of May 2024, this initiative has successfully led to the recovery of 124 children.
As reported by swissinfo.ch.
