The situation of journalists in Morocco, including the case of Omar Radi
Parliament urges the Moroccan authorities to respect freedom of expression and freedom of the media and to ensure a fair trial for imprisoned journalists, including Omar Radi, Souleimen Raissouni and Taoufik Bouachrine. MEPs call for their immediate provisional release and demand an end to the harassment of all journalists in the country, as well as their lawyers and families.
They also strongly condemn the Moroccan authorities’ abuse of sexual assault allegations as a means of deterring journalists from doing their job. They also urge the country to end digital surveillance of journalists, including through the Pegasus spyware, and call on EU Member States to stop exporting surveillance technology to Morocco, in line with the EU’s Dual Use Regulation.
MEPs are deeply concerned about allegations that the Moroccan authorities have bribed Members of the European Parliament and call for the same measures to be applied as those applied to representatives of Qatar. They pledge to fully investigate and address cases of corruption involving non-EU countries seeking to buy influence in the European Parliament.
Finally, the resolution calls on the EU and its Member States to continue to raise the cases of detained journalists and political prisoners with the Moroccan authorities and to use their influence to obtain concrete improvements in the human rights situation in the country.
The resolution was adopted with 356 votes in favour, 32 against and 42 abstentions.
