Morocco Bars Ex-Minister from Travel After Criticizing King’s Absence

Mohamed Ziane, 79, has been banned from leaving Morocco after his remarks against King Mohammed VI. "It’s an arbitrary decision," denounces the lawyer and founder of the Moroccan Liberal Party to El Independiente. He says he was informed of the existence of this measure by the police as he was about to board a flight abroad.

"All this is pressure. They are trying to intimidate me. They claim there is another new case against me, but I don’t know anything else. The reason is surely related to my opinions," said the politician who does not think he will "change [his] opinions, because that would be political suicide".

Since the publication in October of the interview given to the same newspaper, in which he deplored the "abnormal" long stays of Mohammed VI in Paris, Ziane has been treated by some Moroccan media as a "heretic", "madman", "terrorist", "traitor" and "fifth columnist".

"There is a procedure underway before the courts, for which I was sentenced to three years in prison, just because I expressed my opinion and my position," recalls Ziane, who has decided to file a complaint "against any person who seeks to undermine his freedom of movement, which is a right approved by the constitution of the Kingdom and which must be respected by all authorities, including His Majesty".