Moroccan Parliament Denounces European Parliament Criticism

Following the European Parliament's criticism of Morocco's press freedoms, the Moroccan Parliament voted Monday to reexamine and thoroughly evaluate its relations with that body.

The choice was made following an extraordinary joint plenary meeting of Morocco's two houses of Parliament on Monday in Rabat, which was called to discuss the resolution from the European Parliament from the previous week.

A joint parliamentary declaration, which was read by Rachid Talbi Alami, speaker of the House of Representatives, was criticised by Moroccan lawmakers as an intolerable assault on the sovereignty and sanctity of the country's judicial institutions.

Last week, EU lawmakers passed a non-binding resolution urging the Moroccan government to better uphold media freedom and free speech.

The resolution cited the "continuing deterioration" of press freedom in the North African nation and demanded "a fair trial with full due process safeguards" for all journalists currently detained, including Omar Radi, Soulaimane Raissouni, and Taoufik Bouachrine.

Such resolutions represent a broad reflection of how the 450 million-strong bloc feels about a particular subject, but they do not compel member states of the EU to take action. 42 people abstained during the 356-32 voting.

The resolution, according to the Moroccan Parliament, violated confidence and harmed years of progress. According to the statement, it hailed Morocco as a dependable and long-standing partner who contributes significantly to safeguarding human rights and freedoms as well as regional and global peace and security.

It further stated that no one's guardianship or lessons would ever be accepted by the kingdom.

The Parliament supported the judges' rulings in the cases named in the European resolution, claiming that they had nothing to do with journalism or free expression and instead involved crimes like sexual assault and preying on people's vulnerabilities.

Radi, a well-known investigative journalist and campaigner, was found guilty of espionage and sexual assault in 2021 and given a six-year prison term. Radi disputes the accusations, and rights organisations claim they are politically motivated.

In June 2020, Amnesty International published a report on Radi that claimed Moroccan officials had used sophisticated surveillance software to illegally snoop on the journalist using his phone. The assertion was challenged by the Moroccan administration.

According to media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, Bouachrine was sentenced to 15 years in jail for sexual offences while Raissouni, who was also listed in the European resolution, received a five-year prison term for sexual assault.

The EU resolution denounces Morocco's alleged "misuse of sexual assault charges to dissuade journalists from carrying out their jobs," noting that this mistreatment "endangers women's rights."

Concerns were also raised regarding claims that Moroccan officials attempted to bribe members of the European Parliament as part of a larger scandal involving influence purchasing that also involved allegations against Qatar. The claims are being looked into by Belgian prosecutors as part of a massive corruption scandal that has shook the EU to its core.

A Moroccan ally, the United States, has already expressed concern about how journalists are treated in Morocco.