Moroccan authorities detain a human rights activist who accused government of 'blackmailing' France

RABAT, Morocco -- A Moroccan economist known for his activity defending quality authorities was detained aft criticizing nan authorities successful remarks posted connected societal media during a sojourn by French President Emmanuel Macron to nan North African kingdom.

Prosecutors apprehended Fouad Abdelmoumni successful Casablanca connected Wednesday and announced he was nether investigation connected suspicion of disseminating mendacious accusation and accusing others of crimes connected societal media, Morocco’s authorities news agency reported. If charged and convicted, he could look up to 5 years successful situation nether cybercrime statutes.

“This arbitrary apprehension is portion of a bid of harassments targeting Abdelmoumni, arsenic a measurement aimed astatine retaliating against his bold positions successful expressing his opinions and defending quality rights,” nan Moroccan Association successful Support of Political Prisoners said successful a connection Wednesday. “This apprehension represents a further escalation successful nan authorities’ argumentation of repression against quality authorities and governmental activists successful nan country.”

Abdelmoumni, a erstwhile governmental prisoner, is nan group's coordinator.

While Macron toured Rabat pinch Moroccan leaders including King Mohammed VI, nan activistic alleged successful a station that Morocco was attempting to “blackmail” France utilizing methods including espionage and withholding practice connected managing forbidden immigration.

Abdelmoumni is yet to beryllium officially arraigned. When he appears successful tribunal connected Friday, he will apt beryllium charged pinch crimes related to nan post, 1 of his attorneys, Souad Brahma, said.

In Morocco, authorities tin clasp group nether investigation for 48 hours without charging them.

Brahma said Abdelmoumni was arrested for expressing his sentiment and called his detention a usurpation of his correct to state of expression. She said she was denied a chance to sojourn him connected Thursday contempt receiving authorization from nan court. Officials person not responded to allegations that nan apprehension was politically motivated.

Macron passim his sojourn referred to opening a caller section successful relations betwixt France and Morocco aft years of strain.

The causes of clash included nan 2021 “Pegasus Affair," successful which Amnesty International and nan Paris-based nonprofit group Forbidden Stories published a study alleging that Moroccan authorities had utilized nan Israeli package Pegagus to infiltrate nan physics devices of quality authorities activists including Abdelmoumni and politicians each nan measurement up to Macron.

Morocco strenuously denied nan allegations and sued, claiming defamation.

Abdelmoumni, 66, has been salient successful defending quality authorities since he was imprisoned and tortured alongside different left-wing activists during King Hassan II's era of repression known arsenic nan “Years of Lead.” He has publically supported pro-democracy efforts successful nan country, including during nan Arab Spring and Morocco's 2017 “Hirak” movement.

After nan investigation into Pegagus software, Abdelmoumni was among nan activists profiled successful a 2022 Human Rights Watch study connected Morocco's targeting of critics.

The study said an anonymous personification distributed a video of him and his then-partner-now-wife having sex, apt changeable from a hidden camera wrong his home's aerial conditioner. In Morocco, non-marital activity is simply a crime and accusation astir their narration later appeared successful pro-government media arsenic portion of an effort that Abdelmoumni said was designed to intimidate him.

This week, he participated successful a vigil demanding justness for a Moroccan nationalist who was “disappeared” successful France successful 1965, and appeared astatine courthouse wherever Morocco's ex-human authorities curate was facing trial. He was going to a gathering of nan Moroccan Association for nan Support of Political Prisoners erstwhile he was apprehended.

Macron's governmental statement helped push done a 2023 solution successful nan European Union's Parliament condemning quality authorities abuses successful Morocco. But nan 2 countries person precocious deepened governmental and economical ties. This week, they announced economical agreements and lucrative contracts connected projects ranging from proscription to desalination infrastructure, and Macron reiterated his support for Moroccan sovereignty complete the disputed Western Sahara.

During his three-day visit, Macron did not mention quality authorities successful speeches astatine a business forum, to nan country's French organization aliases astatine nan country's parliament.