Quadriplegic Moroccan Man Faces Deportation from France Despite Medical Needs

Abdel, 38 years old, lives in the anguish of deportation. His dream of receiving treatment in France risks turning into a nightmare. Upon his arrival in France in 2019 with a tourist visa, this Moroccan suffering from Bethlem myopathy settled in Bordeaux (Gironde). Hospitalized full-time at the Bordeaux University Hospital in a Standardized Care Unit, he benefits from essential treatment, reports Actu.fr. Care that he will no longer be able to receive if the OQTF is applied.

Abdel applied for asylum with the National Court of Asylum (CNDA), a residence permit with the prefecture of Gironde to be treated in Bordeaux. But he was met with a refusal, after the suspensive appeal filed by his lawyers in February 2022 on the grounds that he "fails to justify that he is isolated in his country." "Given the healthcare offer in the country he originates from, he can benefit from appropriate treatment there," estimates the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII) which had Abdel’s file examined by a procession of doctors.

In Morocco, the reality is quite different. "I can for example cite a report from Handicap International, which stated in 2020 that policies aimed at improving the social inclusion of people with disabilities are still poorly implemented, partly due to a lack of funding. People with disabilities have few dedicated services (caregivers, access to buildings, etc.) and their inclusion in civil society remains limited," argues Mandy Rezeau-Mera, a lawyer specializing in immigration law. She hopes that the OQTF will not be applied due to his situation. "Returning to Morocco would be death," Abdel assures.