Franco-Moroccan Journalist Maâti Monjib Continues Hunger Strike; RSF Protests Detention

"There is urgency," insists Christophe Deloire, the Secretary General of RSF, on RFI. "He has been on hunger strike for 17 days, because he is being held arbitrarily, because he has undergone an iniquitous trial." He denounces "a procedure that does not respect the basic canons of justice." According to him, the rights of the defense have been trampled. "Maati Monjib is a journalist, a historian, a committed man, but in our view he is a journalist who is bothering the power, obviously. A power that, in Morocco, too often instrumentalizes justice to settle scores with journalists who are simply doing their job," Christophe Deloire further denounces.

"Maâti Monjib was one of the founders of the Moroccan Association for Investigative Journalism. He has trained hundreds of journalists and, very clearly, he has been the object of iniquitous procedures, apart from the issue of the merits," continues the Secretary General of RSF, calling for the immediate release of the detainee. "And today, the iniquity of the procedure, as well as the deterioration of his state of health, justify an unconditional and immediate release," he adds.

Since December 29 last year, Maâti Monjib has been imprisoned in Morocco and sentenced to one year in prison for "undermining the internal security of the State." His lawyers William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth recently filed a complaint with civil party status with the Paris judicial court for "moral harassment," "infringement of individual liberty by persons exercising a public function," and "endangering the life of others."