Moroccan Mothers Plead for King’s Help to Free Daughters Detained in Saudi Arabia

"My daughter went to Saudi Arabia for tourism and she was arrested. She left behind a two-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son," confided a mother to Hespress. She is one of dozens of mothers who gathered on Friday in front of the annex of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad in the Hassan district of Rabat. She assures that her daughter was "unjustly arrested at her home in Saudi Arabia as part of a campaign targeting Moroccan women." In unison, they call on King Mohammed VI to facilitate the return of their daughters to Morocco. "All countries repatriate their children. We only ask for the return of our daughters to Morocco. We implore His Majesty the King to save them," pleads this mother. Leaving to work in Saudi Arabia, my two daughters were arrested together, recounts another mother. One of them was sentenced to five years in prison "without reason. Their only ’crime’ is to have communicated via Snapchat," she explained. And to insist: "If a conviction is necessary, let it be served in their own country. We ask for nothing more than the return of our daughters. We call for a royal intervention for their return."

According to the demonstrators, the number of Moroccan women detained in Saudi Arabia is 150. The Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Riyadh specifies that the number is rather 60. According to diplomatic sources from the Moroccan embassy in Riyadh, they are accused of prostitution (41 cases), drug use and trafficking, assault and murder, theft, alcoholism, and witchcraft. "The Saudi authorities do not make accusations lightly. Each detainee is informed of the charges against her, with supporting evidence," the same sources assured, adding that the detainees will only be repatriated to Morocco after serving their sentence in accordance with the laws in force. In the meantime, the diplomatic services "carry out regular visits to Saudi prisons, particularly to the Al-Malaz women’s prison, to verify the conditions of Moroccan detainees, listen to their grievances and assist them in their procedures, in coordination with the competent Saudi authorities," said a source within the Moroccan embassy in Saudi Arabia.