Gilles Perrault, Author of Controversial Hassan II Biography, Dies at 92

The author, whose real name was Jacques Peyroles, had started his career as a lawyer before turning to journalism and literature. Beyond his novels, including the famous spy novel "The File 51", he was known for his positions against racism and for the legalization of euthanasia.

In 1990, Gilles Perrault had also marked the history of Franco-Moroccan relations with the publication of "Our friend the king", a critical work on the 30-year reign of Hassan II.

The book depicts the life and reign of Hassan II, King of Morocco from 1961 to 1999. Perrault reveals the contradictions of the monarch, portrayed as an enlightened leader in the West, but ruling with extreme harshness over his own country. The work explores the political ties between France and Morocco and exposes repressive practices, including arbitrary arrests and torture.