Waiter Arrested in Tetouan for Spreading Misleading Video Online
Translated from Arabic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Moroccan authorities arrested a 30-year-old waiter in Tetouan for allegedly spreading fake news online.
- The suspect is accused of posting a misleading video claiming to document an assault and robbery in the city.
- Investigations revealed the video actually depicted an incident in Vitoria, Spain, not Morocco.
Security forces in the Moroccan city of Tetouan have apprehended a 30-year-old waiter on suspicion of disseminating false information via social media. The arrest stems from allegations that the individual published a video accompanied by a misleading caption, falsely claiming it showed an assault and robbery in Tetouan.
Sources indicate that the suspect, who reportedly has no prior criminal record, may have been motivated by a desire to gain more views and engagement on social media platforms. Authorities are continuing their investigation under the supervision of the public prosecutor's office before the suspect is brought to justice.
The Tetouan police had previously and unequivocally denied the authenticity of the claims associated with the video. They stated that no criminal incidents matching the video's content had been recorded by their services following thorough technical investigations.
Further inquiries determined that the circulated footage was not filmed in Morocco but rather in the Spanish city of Vitoria. The video had previously received media coverage there before being re-shared with fabricated claims linking it to Tetouan. This incident underscores the challenges authorities face in combating the spread of misinformation online.
Originally published by Hespress in Arabic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.