The Casablanca Court of Appeal has postponed the appeal proceedings in the case of Professor Rachid Cherkab and two colleagues until November 16. This decision was made during the first hearing before the court's Criminal Appeals Chamber on November 2, following a request from the defense team for more time to review the case file. The hearing drew considerable attention, with more than 35 lawyers appearing in support of the defendants.
The defense team, which includes over 35 lawyers, requested provisional release for anesthesiologist and intensive care specialist Cherkab and medical technician Abdelatif Seddar. Both were placed in prison after the court issued its initial ruling. The court reserved its decision on the release requests for deliberation at the end of the hearing. The legal defense was also joined by trade union representatives, human rights activists, and other supporters who followed the proceedings.
Outside the courthouse, patients and their families gathered to express solidarity with Cherkab, whom supporters refer to as the "doctor of the poor." Several attendees recalled the medical care and interventions they or their relatives had received from the professor at Ibn Rochd University Hospital in Casablanca, praising his commitment to treating patients, particularly those in critical condition.
Rights advocates have linked the prosecution to Cherkab's alleged efforts to expose irregularities within the public healthcare system. Mohamed El Ghalloussi, a lawyer and president of the Moroccan Association for the Protection of Public Funds, questioned the circumstances surrounding the case. He argued that Cherkab had become an inconvenient figure for certain parties and suggested that the complaint filed by the hospital administration could reflect attempts at retaliation.
El Ghalloussi also criticized what he described as influential networks that benefit from corruption and rent-seeking practices, warning that the case could have broader implications for the protection of whistleblowers within public institutions. He noted that one of the defendants, a doctor who received a six-month prison sentence in the initial ruling but remained free pending trial, had not received a formal summons to attend Monday's hearing.
The court's next decision concerns the requests for provisional release submitted on behalf of Cherkab and Seddar. The November 16 hearing is expected to bring further legal arguments in a case that has attracted attention from medical professionals and rights advocates, particularly over questions of accountability, alleged misconduct within public institutions, and the protection of those who report irregularities.
The case has sparked significant interest, with many viewing it as a test of the country's commitment to protecting whistleblowers and promoting transparency within public institutions. The postponement of the appeal hearing has given the defense team additional time to prepare its case, and the court's decision on the provisional release requests will be closely watched by supporters and critics alike.
Key points
- The Casablanca Court of Appeal has postponed the appeal hearing of Professor Rachid Cherkab and two colleagues until November 16.
- The defense team has requested provisional release for Cherkab and Seddar, who were placed in prison after the initial ruling.
- Rights advocates have linked the prosecution to Cherkab's alleged efforts to expose irregularities within the public healthcare system.
