Moroccan Police Break Up Protest for Jailed Journalists on Hunger Strike

About twenty people responded to the call of the Committee for the Liberation of Prisoners of Opinion in Morocco, in violation of the state of emergency in force, decreed to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

They were surrounded by a large contingent of uniformed and plainclothes police, supported by riot police. Using a megaphone, a police officer told the protesters that they were breaking the law and risked penalties and fines. After this summons, they were dispersed after ten minutes by the security forces who did not give them time to chant their slogans for freedom of expression and the release of the two journalists.

This is the second time this committee has called for a demonstration for the release of Radi and Souleymane, two journalists who criticize the government’s actions. The first demonstration, organized a month ago, had also been repelled.

Soulaiman Raïssouni, editor-in-chief of the daily "Akhbar Al Yaoum" (now closed), was arrested in May 2020 and accused of sexual abuse against a young homosexual man. He has been on a hunger and thirst strike since April 8. Arrested on July 29, Omar Radi, on the other hand, began his hunger strike last Saturday. He is accused of rape on a colleague and of undermining state security.

Moroccan journalists launched a petition on Wednesday calling for their release, pending the opening of the trial. It has already been signed by about 200 people who are calling for a fair trial, "a climate of peace conducive to the guarantee of freedoms" and "the right of journalists to fully exercise their freedom of expression and dissemination of information and ideas".