Hicham El Alaoui, cousin of King Mohammed VI, announced that he has taken legal action against blogger Mohamed Reda Toujnia, following remarks made by the latter in a video posted on YouTube on September 11, 2025.
In a statement, the complainant said that the accusations and phrases contained in the recording “undermine honor and dignity,” prompting him to file a lawsuit through lawyer Abderrahim Jamai. At the same time, he reaffirmed his deep belief in freedom of opinion and expression as a constitutional and societal value, provided it is exercised without resorting to defamation or slander. He also praised journalists who uphold professional ethics and the noble values of the profession.
For his part, Toujnia attacked the King’s cousin in the video, claiming that the “duty of discretion” required him not to comment on matters related to the security services. He criticized his recent interview with a Spanish newspaper in which he spoke about internal tensions within Morocco’s intelligence services, describing it as “crossing red lines.”
Toujnia said that El Alaoui “accused the security services of overstepping their authority” in that interview, adding: “You have a palace, a guard, and you are a prince, yet you come to attack the King… If you have a disagreement with the King, face him directly, but undermining him in this way is unacceptable.”
He also linked the timing of the Spanish interview to international media reports, including the “Jabrout” leaks and an investigation by Le Monde on Morocco, pointing to what he described as “huge sums of money taken out of the country, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, without going through the Exchange Office.” Toujnia concluded by stating: “You have no chance of ruling, nor a good reputation among the people.”
