Moroccan authorities continue to harass and obstruct human rights groups, university students, and media workers both domestic and international. The authorities have used penal code provisions on insult and on incitement to protest or rebellion to prosecute and imprison academics, journalists, bloggers, and activists who criticized officials or reported on human rights violations, corruption, or popular protests. Courts have also convicted and imprisoned journalists and activists on vague and overly broad state security and terrorism offenses. Between May and August 2018, security forces arrested and detained eight journalists and bloggers over critical coverage or online commentary of the protests in Rif. Prosecutors charged the eight with protest-related state security offenses. Seven people, including journalists, activists, and the academic Maati Monjib, remain on trial on charges such as “threatening state security” for promoting a mobile application for citizen journalism that protects users’ privacy. 

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(Last updated: August 30, 2021)

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Please send appeals to the following:

Saadeddine Othmani
Prime Minister of Morocco
Email:courrier@pm.gov.ma

Mohamed Aujjar
Minister of Justice of Morocco
Email:kourout@justice.gov.ma

Omar Hilale
Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations
Email:morocco.un@maec.gov.ma