Rabat, Feb 5, 2020 – Human rights groups called Wednesday for the release of at least 10 Moroccan citizens arrested and prosecuted over the past five months who “did nothing but peacefully express critical opinions”. Those arrested include students, artists, citizen journalists and social media commentators, Human Rights Watch and the Moroccan Association for Human Rights said. Asked about the prosecutions last month, government spokesman Hassan Abyaba insisted “the human rights situation in Morocco is not regressing”. HRW said that in partnership with the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, it was launching a list of free speech cases that it would keep regularly updated. “Expressing nonviolent opinions should never be a crime sanctioned by prison terms,” said Moroccan Association for Human Rights secretary general Youssef Raissouni.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 05, 2020 19:18 UTC