Morocco Approves Extradition of Uyghur Activist to China, Sparking Human Rights Concerns

"The Court of Cassation made its decision yesterday (Wednesday), but this does not allow it to extradite Yidiresi, as the execution of this decision falls to the government which has the final say," lawyer Miloud Kandil told EFE. He added: "We tried to convince the judge not to order his extradition. We have not yet obtained the extract of the decision to know the reasons."

To read: Morocco Urged Not to Extradite Detained Uyghur Man Amid Terrorism Allegations

The decision to extradite the activist "is a setback in the sense that Idris runs a great risk of being tortured upon his return to China," Amnesty International (AI) warned on its Twitter account. In a report published last June, the institution had drawn attention to the many cases of arbitrary detention and torture suffered by hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs in China, more precisely in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, as well as the persecution of Muslims who constitute a minority community.

To read: Morocco Launches Extradition Guide to Enhance International Judicial Cooperation

Yidiresi is considered a "terrorist" in China because of his activist engagement in organizations defending the Uyghur Muslim community. Also known as Idris Hasan, he had been arrested at Casablanca airport on July 19, upon disembarking from a flight from Turkey where he had taken refuge with his family since 2012.