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As they enter their tenth consecutive night, youth-led protests in Morocco against government mismanagement and corruption show no sign of slowing, even as authorities have eased mass arrests and announced reforms in an attempt to quell the unrest.
Since September 27, demonstrators across the country have rallied for fairer distribution of resources and an end to corruption. The mass arrests that followed have added freedom of expression to the list of demands.
The movement is being coordinated via social media by a group called Gen Z 212—a reference to Morocco’s international dialing code. The group has posted its demands online and appears to be inspired by recent youth-led protests in Nepal that toppled the government within two days. Among its key demands is “genuine and strict accountability for all who loot the wealth of the country or violate people’s rights.”
Protesters have called for the Moroccan prime minister’s resignation and accused the government of spending billions on infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup while neglecting hospitals, schools, and other essential services.
“At least the FIFA stadium will have a first aid kit. Our hospitals don’t,” one banner read.
The protests were sparked by the deaths of eight women who went to give birth at a hospital in Agadir. Demonstrators believe the women died due to a lack of proper equipment and insufficient staff.
“This was the straw that broke the camel’s back and made these young people create conversations on (social platform) Discord,” Hakim Sikouk, head of the Rabat branch of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), told OCCRP.
Protesters say corruption is a root cause of the poor health system.
“Moroccan youth are fed up with corruption in all sectors, especially health and education,” 18-year-old protester Mahmoud from Casablanca told OCCRP.
“Those of us who are sick cannot access treatment. Public hospitals are in a catastrophic state in terms of equipment and staff, and corruption is rampant. You’re forced to pay a bribe to get a checkup or medicine,” he said.
Although organizers have repeatedly called for peaceful demonstrations, some protests have turned violent, with angry crowds torching cars and clashing with police. Security forces have used excessive force, killing three protesters and injuring dozens. Authorities said in a statement that they had to stop the crowd from attacking a police station.
According to official figures, 409 people have been arrested since September 28, with at least 193 facing trial, many released on bail. While arrests have slowed, young protesters—including minors—continue to face charges of participating in violent gatherings, even though many were detained before any clashes took place.
Amnesty International on Friday urged Moroccan authorities to conduct an immediate, independent investigation into the crackdown and to drop charges against detainees arrested for exercising their right to protest.
In response to the unrest, the government announced a draft plan to reform the Ministry of Health and the wider healthcare sector, but that did not prevent people from continuing to hit the streets.
“It has become clear that the government has run out of answers for its youth. Surface-level reforms will not appease demonstrators,” said Aida Alami, a Moroccan journalist and visiting professor at Columbia University.
