Riot Police Break Up Morocco Paedophile Protest
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Several people were injured in clashes with police in Morocco Friday as authorities dispersed hundreds of demonstrators protesting against a royal pardon handed to a Spanish man, who was convicted in 2011 of raping 11 children aged between 4 and 15.
Riot police broke up a protest by hundreds of Moroccan demonstrators late on Friday against a royal pardon for a Spanish paedophile serving a 30-year sentence for raping and filming children as young as 4, Reuters reported.
In running clashes with the demonstrators, baton-wielding police prevented them from gathering in front of the Moroccan parliament in the centre of the capital Rabat, injuring several people including journalists.
The convicted paedophile is among 48 jailed Spaniards who were pardoned by King Mohamed VI on Tuesday at the request of Spain’s King Juan Carlos, who visited Morocco last month.
The demonstration followed an online campaign by outraged activists. Protests were also reported in several other cities in the North African country.
Protesters demanded that the royal pardon be revoked and the Spaniard be brought back to jail. The government said the man had been expelled to Spain.
The royal palace made no immediate comment, but the Justice Ministry said in a statement on Friday that the pardon had been issued based on Morocco’s national interests under the friendly relations between the two countries.
