A number of national and international organizations, as well as editorials in some major newspapers such as “El País”, have called for the release of Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet, who was detained by the authorities at Tangier airport.
Moroccan authorities arrested Ali Lmrabet last Sunday at Tangier airport upon his arrival from Barcelona. A statement issued by the public prosecutor's office on Monday explained that he was detained and transferred to Casablanca for questioning regarding the content of some episodes of his podcast. Lmrabet is considered a pioneer of independent journalism in Morocco, having served as director of the weekly newspaper "Le Journal" and founded the magazines "Douman" in French and Arabic. He was previously arrested in 2003 for articles concerning the monarchy, and in 2005 was banned from practicing journalism for ten years. He has also worked for international publications, including El Mundo.
In this regard, a number of Moroccan human rights associations issued statements protesting the arrest of Al-Murabit, including the Moroccan Association for the Support of Political Prisoners, as well as the National Center for Human Rights and Media, which highlighted that the arrest came in a sensitive human rights context, and that any legal proceedings should take place while he is free, stressing the need for the immediate release of the journalist.
For its part, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights demanded a full investigation into the circumstances of the arrest, the release of the journalist, and guarantees for all his rights during the legal proceedings. The association also asserted that publishing and press-related cases should not be treated as criminal matters, warning that this constitutes an infringement on freedom of expression and the press. It linked the case to a broader context concerning the state of independent journalism and freedom of opinion and expression in Morocco.
Reporters Without Borders also stressed the need to release journalist Ali Lmrabet, stating on its website: “The arrest of Ali Lmrabet is deeply worrying and demonstrates once again the use of the judicial system to silence critical voices. We call for his release. Ali Lmrabet has dedicated his professional life to journalism and the right to information, two values that Morocco has publicly pledged to respect. Criminalizing a journalist’s work is not the application of the law, but rather the abuse of justice to serve repression.”
The international press devoted space to the arrest operation, most notably the French newspaper “Libération”, which wrote: “Morocco arrests a prominent figure of independent journalism, Ali Lmrabet”, which is the content of the headlines chosen by newspapers such as Mediapart and Le Monde from France, and Diario, El Mundo and El Periódico de Catalunya from Spain.
El País devoted three articles to the arrest, as well as an editorial on Tuesday, which stated: “It seemed that Morocco had turned the page on the dark chapter of restrictions on the press when, two years ago, the Moroccan monarch pardoned the last of the imprisoned critical journalists. But closing this chapter is more difficult than one might have imagined, and the case of El Morabit is a prime example of that.”
The newspaper adds: “No citizen’s right to return to their homeland should be restricted because of legal charges related to the exercise of freedom of the press and expression, two fundamental pillars of any pluralistic and democratic society. Criticism of the political system should not be punishable by exile. Mohammed VI has set a horizon of modernity and tolerance that he wishes to demonstrate to the world during the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, but actions such as the arrest of El Morabit or restrictions on freedom of expression distance the country from this goal.”
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