Istanbul Airport’s Moroccan Ordeal: Travelers Demand Diplomatic Action

Many Moroccan travelers have expressed their anger at what they describe as "humiliating" treatment upon arrival at Turkish airports, particularly in Istanbul. According to the testimonies collected by Hespress, only Moroccans would be subjected to excessive and discriminatory checks systematically. This situation is causing great concern among Moroccan travelers, who are calling for an intervention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad.

According to the testimonies, the Turkish authorities systematically prevent any national holding a Moroccan passport from crossing the border control, with the exception of people of a certain age. Young people under the age of 35 would be the most affected. Moroccan travelers recount that a border agent sets them aside and takes their phone before giving their name. They then wait for long minutes before being escorted by police officers to a corner where all Moroccans are gathered. They are then called one by one, then transferred to other control offices, until their passport is finally returned to them for a final check at the border. In total, the operation lasts nearly two hours, according to the testimonies.

A Moroccan couple claim to have been detained for nearly two hours on Sunday upon arrival at Istanbul airport, without valid reason, with all Moroccan passengers on the same flight. "We consider that this way of proceeding undermines the dignity of Moroccan citizens and goes against the principle of equality between foreign travelers on Turkish soil," they denounce. These travelers claim, however, to be in order: valid passports, confirmed return tickets, hotel reservations and a history of previous trips to Turkey and other European countries with Schengen visas. Despite these documents, they were subjected to a thorough check. According to their statements, a Turkish employee would have mentioned an "internal note" justifying this targeted treatment, without however showing it. Others speak of a "process", but no other nationality has been subjected to these checks.

This differential treatment is particularly shocking to Moroccans who have found that European, American, Asian or Middle Eastern travelers were able to pass the checks without any problem and in a few seconds. The strangest thing is that at the end of this whole procedure, they are not asked for any additional documents. These checks targeting only Moroccans have been going on for several weeks. On social networks, Moroccan Internet users claim to have undergone this humiliating and degrading treatment since this summer. Families traveling together would even have been separated. Testimonies speak of couples where one spouse would have passed the check and the other prevented. Other cases cite parents who passed the check while their daughter in her twenties was blocked.

Arab citizens who have recently traveled to Turkey have also testified to having seen Moroccans, both men and women, set aside and subjected to police checks, while no other nationality would have undergone these checks. The Turkish embassy in Rabat has refuted these allegations, claiming that they are unfounded and that Moroccan citizens are in no way targeted. The embassy recalled that the issuance or possession of a visa does not automatically guarantee entry into the country, stressing that the Turkish authorities have the right to request additional documents and information from any traveler. The embassy insists that these measures do not target Moroccans and that all those who are in order can enter Turkey.