Moroccan YouTuber sentenced to 15 years for terror-related offences

A Moroccan court has sentenced YouTuber Hicham Jerando to 15 years in prison in absentia for inciting terrorism and threatening a senior judicial official, according to Moroccan media. The Rabat Court of Appeal found Jerando—who resides in Canada—guilty of forming a terrorist group, inciting violence, and publicly calling for the assassination of former prosecutor general Najim Bensami.

Jerando also targeted Morocco’s monarchy, spreading conspiracy theories about a supposed “silent coup” and making veiled threats against Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan. Prosecutors said his content aimed to destabilise public order and encourage lone-wolf attacks, citing videos in which he urged followers to kill Bensami and published personal details of the former prosecutor and his family online.

Authorities linked Jerando to a broader online campaign involving relatives in Casablanca, several of whom were arrested in March. Legal proceedings continue in Canada, underscoring the cross-border challenges of prosecuting digital extremism.