Moroccan Journalist’s Health Deteriorates After 51-Day Hunger Strike in Prison

After 51 days of hunger strike, the journalist Soulaimane Raissouni, detained for 1 year for a rape case, would have lost 31 kilos and his health condition is becoming critical, said his wife Kholoud Mokhtari, during the solidarity sit-in that brought together the journalist’s family and human rights activists.

Chanting in unison slogans demanding the immediate release of Raissouni and Radi, both imprisoned in two separate cases, the protesters stressed that the two journalists are being arbitrarily detained, as they meet the criteria to be prosecuted while at liberty.

"The sit-in comes after 50 days of Raissouni’s hunger strike. He has become weak and without any strength," Omar Radi’s father told Hespress, warning that the situation "concerns everyone and harms the image of the State if one of them were to die."

Omar Radi’s father stated in his statement that the two journalists "are being prosecuted arbitrarily in order to keep them in prison. Otherwise, how is it possible that their requests for release on bail have been rejected more than nine times without any explanation from the public prosecutor’s office," he wondered.

Kholoud Mokhtari, Soulaimane’s wife, said she was surprised by the statement from the General Directorate of Prisons and Reintegration (DGAPR) which makes it appear that she encouraged and incited her husband to continue his hunger strike. On this last point, human rights activists believe it is impossible that the journalist was encouraged by his wife to suffer further. They argue that Soulaimane, who is currently in critical condition, must be released, as well as his colleague Radi.

On Thursday, the local Ain Sebaa1 prison administration claimed that Soulaimane Raissouni’s health condition is reassuring, contrary to the unfounded allegations circulated by his wife.