The trial of 21 defendants charged in connection with the collapse of two residential buildings in Fez that killed 22 people and injured 16 others last year is set to begin Monday before the Court of Appeal in Fez, according to SNRT News. After months of investigations into the December 2025 disaster, the hearing will open before the court’s Criminal Chamber. The defendants include elected officials, public employees, local authority representatives, contractors, construction workers, and other individuals accused of involvement in the case. The case stems from the collapse of two apartment buildings in Hay Al Mostaqbal, in Fez’s Al Massira district, in December 2025. During the investigation, the examining magistrate ordered eight suspects to be held in pretrial detention, while the remaining defendants were released pending trial.