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Black Wind Freed
A Moroccan court in Casablanca granted provisional release to rapper Mehdi El Youbi, known as Black Wind, while he continues to face trial on charges of «insulting a constitutional institution».
“detained for 18 days”
The decision came after Casablanca's Criminal Court of First Instance ruled today, Friday, to grant rapper Mehdi Youbi, professionally known as 'Black Wind,' temporary release after accepting the request he had filed.
Al Jazeera reported the politically outspoken Moroccan rapper and filmmaker was detained for 18 days before a judge granted his provisional release on Friday, citing a statement from a group of his supporters shared with Al Jazeera.
The same Al Jazeera statement said, "He will not return to Oukacha Prison, where he had been held since 15 July," as supporters awaited his next hearing on 2 October 2026.
Amnesty International last week called on the Moroccan authorities to release the rapper and drop all charges against him, saying they stem from his exercise of the right to freedom of expression.
Supporters, Lawyers, Quotes
Supporters gathered outside the court in Casablanca holding photos of the artist and banners calling for his release and for the freedom of prisoners of conscience, as the Black Wind case drew attention from human rights and artistic circles in Morocco and abroad.
Al Jazeera quoted a supporters’ statement saying, "While we are extremely happy to know that he has been provisionally released, we are now waiting for his next hearing on 2 October 2026," linking the release to the continued prosecution.
The Al Jazeera report also said El Youbi appeared before a judge in Casablanca on Friday without a lawyer, as lawyers in Morocco are currently on strike, which concerned his supporters.
Omar Radi, a Moroccan investigative journalist and human rights activist, told Al Jazeera that El Youbi is “the most outspoken and politically direct Moroccan rapper”.
In parallel, Hespress said the Ain Sebaa Penal Court of First Instance in Casablanca granted the temporary release requested by the defendant Mehdi El Youbi’s sister and ordered the hearing of his case postponed to the October 2, 2026 session.
Charges and Possible Penalties
Even after provisional release, Al Jazeera said El Youbi is still being prosecuted under Article 179 of the Moroccan Penal Code for ‘insulting a constitutional institution,’ and it reported he still faces a sentence of six months to two years in prison, as well as a fine of between 20,000 and 200,000 Moroccan dirhams [$2,150 to $21,500].
“faces a sentence of six months to two years in prison”
The same Al Jazeera report described his arrest in Casablanca days after being barred from returning to France, where he has been based since 2017, and it said his supporters believed the arrest was linked to his artistic views and posts on social media.
Hespress added that the court’s decision came after discussing the temporary release request in the framework of the case in which the person is being pursued over a video clip he posted on his YouTube channel on April 18, 2021.
Hespress also said the recording’s content included remarks deemed to be offensive to constitutional institutions, as well as the dissemination of false news and allegations.
In the Al Jazeera report, supporters said “600 people” remain in detention since Autumn 2025, and it added that the October Moroccan Association for Human Rights reported that 600 people had been held for participating in the protests.
