Rights advocates and experts have signed a petition urging Morocco to release activist Fouad Abdelmoumni, sentenced to six months for allegedly spreading false information. They claim he should be tried under the press code, not the penal code, noting the sentence is part of a broader repressive trend. The petition has 295 signatures from notable figures, aiming for annulment of his conviction and the release of political prisoners.
In a significant move, nearly 300 human rights activists and experts from North Africa and France have petitioned for the release of activist Fouad Abdelmoumni, currently imprisoned for allegedly disseminating false information online. Sentenced to six months in prison in early March, the charges stemmed from a Facebook post where he accused Morocco of espionage against France.
The petition, which has garnered 295 signatures, argues that Abdelmoumni should have faced prosecution under the press code, where prison terms are not applicable, rather than under the penal code which was used against him. It further highlights that if the sentence is upheld, he will be taken into custody.
The signatories characterize Abdelmoumni’s imprisonment as part of a pervasive “repressive policy” by various governments in the region, designed to silence those advocating for free expression, human rights, and democracy. They demand the annulment of his sentence and the release of political prisoners across Morocco and neighboring Maghreb countries.
Notable signatories include former Doctors Without Borders president Rony Brauman, French-Tunisian historian Sophie Bessis, and Tunisian activists Mokhat Trifi and Sana Ben Achour. They cite that Abdelmoumni’s Facebook post coincided with a visit from French President Emmanuel Macron, aimed at improving formerly strained diplomatic relations.
Prosecution statements claimed that Abdelmoumni’s allegations were detrimental to Morocco’s interests and represented a breach of acceptable free speech, amounting to criminal actions. In 2021, Morocco was previously accused of employing the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to surveil influential figures, including President Macron, a claim labeled as “baseless and false” by Moroccan officials.
The petition for Fouad Abdelmoumni emphasizes the urgent need for the Moroccan government to reconsider its stance on free expression and human rights. The gathering of signatures from prominent figures underscores a collective call for the annulment of Abdelmoumni’s prison sentence and highlights the broader regional concerns regarding civil liberties. Therefore, the case serves as a critical indicator of the challenges faced by activists in the Maghreb and beyond, as they advocate for fundamental rights and democratic values.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
