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Casablanca court rejects BeIN’s 100 million MAD lawsuit against Inwi

Yesterday 10:52
Casablanca court rejects BeIN’s 100 million MAD lawsuit against Inwi
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The Commercial Court of Casablanca has delivered a landmark ruling in the long-standing legal dispute between Qatar-based BeIN Media Group and Moroccan telecom provider Inwi. The court dismissed BeIN’s claim seeking 100 million Moroccan dirhams in damages, marking a major victory for the internet service provider.

The case dates back to 2019 when BeIN accused Inwi of negligence in addressing the illegal streaming and piracy of sports content on its network. The media group, which holds exclusive broadcasting rights to numerous international sporting events, argued that Inwi failed to act against unauthorized retransmissions, citing Moroccan copyright and unfair competition laws.

Inwi's legal team maintained that the company acts solely as a neutral technical intermediary and cannot be held responsible for monitoring or filtering content transmitted through its infrastructure.

In a decision that could set a precedent, the court upheld the principle of "technical neutrality" for internet service providers. It ruled that Inwi’s role is limited to providing internet access and that there is no legal obligation for the company to control content shared via its network. Moreover, the court found no concrete evidence linking Inwi directly to any acts of piracy.

As a result, the court not only rejected BeIN’s compensation claim but also ordered the media group to bear the legal costs.

While this first-instance ruling strengthens legal protections for internet providers in Morocco, BeIN still has the right to appeal, which means the legal battle may continue in higher courts.



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