Trial Delayed Again for Justice and Development Party Leader
On the morning of May 25, 2026, the criminal appeals chamber at the Fez Court of Appeal decided to postpone the trial of Abdelali Hamidine, a prominent leader of the Justice and Development Party. The next hearing is scheduled for October 15, 2026, as part of the ongoing legal proceedings related to the 1993 murder of leftist student Beni Issa Ait Jid. This case has been a focal point of significant legal and political debate since its reopening.
In July 2023, the Fez Court of Appeal's primary criminal chamber issued a ruling sentencing Hamidine to three years of effective imprisonment for his involvement in a brawl that resulted in a fatality, although without intent to kill. The defense has argued that Hamidine had already been tried for the same case in the 1990s, while the civil party insists that new evidence and legal interpretations justify the re-examination of the trial.
This case continues to spark ongoing discussions regarding the limits of retrials, the validity of previous rulings, and the judiciary's relationship with politically and student-related violence that marked a significant period in Morocco's university history. The implications of this trial not only resonate within the realm of legal proceedings but also reflect broader societal and political dynamics in Morocco today.
As reported by alyaoum24.com.
