RABAT, Morocco — A Moroccan economist renowned for advocating human rights has been detained following his critical remarks about the government, shared on social media amid French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco.
According to the state news agency, Fouad Abdelmoumni was taken into custody in Casablanca, where prosecutors revealed they are investigating him for allegedly spreading false information and making accusations against others on social media. If found guilty under cybercrime laws, he could potentially face a maximum of five years in prison.
The Moroccan Association in Support of Political Prisoners issued a statement denouncing Abdelmoumni’s arrest as arbitrary, claiming it is part of a broader campaign of harassment against him for his outspoken views and defense of human rights. They characterized this incident as another instance of escalating repression targeting human rights and political activists within the nation.
Having previously served time as a political prisoner, Abdelmoumni works as a coordinator for the organization. During Macron’s time in Rabat, the activist took to social media to accuse Morocco of “blackmailing” France through tactics such as espionage and not cooperating on illegal immigration issues.
As of now, Abdelmoumni has not been formally charged. His lawyer, Souad Brahma, indicated that he is expected to face charges related to his social media post when he appears in court on Friday. Under Moroccan law, authorities can detain individuals for up to 48 hours for investigative purposes without filing formal charges.
Brahma criticized the arrest, asserting it violated Abdelmoumni’s right to express his views. She claimed she was denied access to him on Thursday, despite having received court approval. Officials have yet to address allegations suggesting that the arrest is politically driven.
During his visit, Macron spoke about forging a new chapter in the relationship between France and Morocco following a period of tension. One source of discord stemmed from the 2021 “Pegasus Affair,” where reports indicated that Moroccan authorities may have utilized the Israeli spyware, Pegasus, to surveil the devices of activists, including Abdelmoumni, along with political figures, up to Macron himself. Morocco fiercely rejected these claims and filed lawsuits for defamation.
Abdelmoumni, aged 66, is a well-known figure in the human rights realm, having faced imprisonment and torture during the oppressive regime of King Hassan II, a period referred to as the “Years of Lead.” He has been an advocate for pro-democracy movements in Morocco, participating actively during the Arab Spring and the 2017 “Hirak” protests.
Following the investigations into the Pegasus software, he was highlighted in a 2022 Human Rights Watch report, which addressed the targeting of critics by Moroccan authorities. In a troubling case, an intimate video of him and his then-partner, later his wife, was allegedly leaked, believed to have been recorded by a hidden camera. In Morocco, having relations outside of marriage is considered a crime, and details about their private life surfaced in pro-government outlets, which Abdelmoumni claims were attempts to intimidate him.
Recently, Abdelmoumni took part in a vigil for a Moroccan nationalist who went missing in France in 1965 and was present at a court hearing involving Morocco’s former human rights minister before his detention. He was on his way to a meeting of the Moroccan Association for the Support of Political Prisoners when he was arrested.
Macron’s political faction succeeded in advancing a 2023 resolution in the European Union’s Parliament that condemned human rights violations in Morocco. However, political and economic relations between the two nations have strengthened lately, with recent agreements covering various infrastructure projects and a reaffirmation of support for Moroccan sovereignty over the contested Western Sahara. Throughout his three-day official visit, Macron refrained from mentioning human rights in his addresses at business forums, gatherings with the Moroccan French community, or at the national parliament.