Morocco released Omar Radi, Taoufik Bouachrine, and Soulaimane Raissouni, among 2,278 individuals granted clemency this week, according to the Ministry of Justice. The amnesties were timed to coincide with the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s obtainment to the throne.
Under Moroccan law, the king, as the head of state, has the authority to grant pardons. This pardon applies to the journalists’ prison terms but does not cover the civil penalties or damages imposed by the courts.
The journalists were released from Tifelt prison, located east of Rabat, and greeted by a cheering crowd of supporters.
While human rights advocates welcomed the pardons, they criticised the decision, arguing that it did not rectify what they view as the politically motivated prosecution of the journalists by Moroccan authorities.
Human rights activist Fouad Abdelmoumni posted on Facebook, “Congratulations. Now waiting for the release of others and for democracy to progress,” highlighting that many dissidents are still in prison in the North African country.
The journalists had become symbols of Morocco’s crackdown on dissent, targeting critics of the government and those connected to influential figures.
While Morocco is regarded as a stable ally in counterterrorism and a popular tourist destination, their prosecutions drew condemnation from the U.S. State Department, the European Parliament, and press freedom advocates.
Each journalist was convicted of s3x-related offences, which they strongly claimed were politically motivated.
Human rights groups criticised Morocco for using these allegations as a tool to silence and discredit its critics, despite calls for fair investigations.
A 2022 Human Rights Watch report highlighted how Moroccan authorities have used various tactics to suppress dissent, particularly in 12 court cases against political critics.
In recent years, authorities began charging critics with serious crimes like money laundering, espionage, rape, s3xual assault, and human trafficking.
The serious allegations against the journalists received extensive coverage in pro-government media.
The cases gained international attention when Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories published leaked documents indicating that the journalists had been spied on using malware, an accusation Moroccan authorities denied.
In 2018, Bouachrine, an opinion columnist and editor of the independent newspaper Akhbar al-Youm, received a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted of human trafficking, s3xual assault, and rape.