We are not fools! Solidarity with Omar Radi! Freedom!

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We are not fools! Solidarity with Omar Radi! Freedom!

7 August 2020 by Myriam Bourgy , ATTAC/CADTM Morocco , Pauline Imbach

Français

Omar Radi investigative journalist and human rights activist has been the subject of a violent campaign of intimidation by the Moroccan authorities. Accused of undermining state security and espionage, since June 25, he has been summoned 9 times for questioning, some of which lasted more than 9 hours in a row. “I have never been and never will be in the service of a foreign power, (...) I am neither a spy nor an agent paid by a foreign fund”, he had reacted by qualifying the accusations against him as " ridiculous ”.

Omar Radi presented himself on Wednesday July 29 at 10 a.m. at the National Judicial Police Brigade (BNPJ) for the 10^th time. He was transferred directly to the investigating judge of Casablanca Appeal Court then detained in Okacha prison in Casablanca. The trial is scheduled to open in almost two months, September 22, 2020! A new charge was imposed on him this time related to an alleged case of rape with violence.

We also take up the declaration “Against the instrumentalization of feminist fights” written by an independent collective of Moroccan feminists following this new accusation. You can sign this text here: “Petition open to Moroccan feminists and allies of their struggles”.

Omar Radi wrote a statement on Tuesday, July 28, and asked not to publish unless he was no longer able to communicate. We reproduce here his press release in French, followed by a video of Omar Radi shot before his arrest (subtitled in English).

Finally, we propose a review of some of English speaking press that allows you to understand the violence of the campaign against Omar Radi.

We remain mobilized!

#freeomarradi

Twitter: Free_Omar_Radi

Facebook: @freeomarradi

Video of Omar Radi shot before his arrest (subtitled in English)

Lien vers vidéo : https://www.facebook.com/freeomarradi/videos/924390098062699/

Press review (not exhaustive):

TIME Magazine ( AUGUST 3, 2020) : These Are the 10 ’Most Urgent’ Cases of Threats to Press Freedom Around the World in August 2020

Independent journalist jailed after repeated interrogations and intimidation.
After summoning him for interrogation for the 10^th time, Moroccan authorities transferred Omar Radi to court and then to a Casablanca prison in July on charges of rape, sexual assault, receiving foreign funding and collaborating with foreign intelligence. A reporter for the independent Le Desk news website, Radi’s arrest comes after authorities repeatedly detained and interrogated him on an array of unrelated charges and allegedly hacked his phone.

Democraty Now ! (July 30, 2020) : “They Have No Evidence Against Me”: Moroccan Journalist Omar Radi Jailed After He Criticized Gov’t

Award-winning journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi spoke to us from Casablanca on July 16. Two weeks later, on July 29, last Wednesday, Moroccan authorities arrested him on what press freedom advocates call “retaliatory charges.” Now a court has charged Radi with undermining state security by receiving foreign funding and collaborating with foreign intelligence, and also charged him with rape. He is reportedly being held in a prison that is a COVID hot spot, and has not been allowed to have visits from his lawyer or his parents.

Reuters (July 30, 2020) : Morocco arrests dissident journalist on rape and spy charges

RABAT (Reuters) - Moroccan police on Wednesday arrested a dissident journalist and charged him with rape and helping foreign spies, a prosecutor said, in a case worrying rights groups.

France24 (July 30, 2020) : Morocco: journalist Omar Radi, prosecuted for “rape”, claims to be “victim of a coup”

Morocco: journalist Omar Radi, prosecuted for “rape”, claims to be “victim of a coup”Rabat (AFP) Journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi, remanded in custody Wednesday for a rape case coupled with espionage charges, claimed to be “the victim of a stunt” in a statement released overnight Wednesday to Thursday . "I was the victim of a skilfully orchestrated stunt, prepared for months, he wrote in this text he had written in advance to be published in case of arrest.

Allafrica (July 29, 2020) : Morocco: Journalist Omar Radi Arrested, Charged in Morocco

New York, July 29, 2020 - Moroccan authorities must release journalist Omar Radi immediately and refrain from filing retaliatory charges against the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Author

Myriam Bourgy

CADTM France

Author

ATTAC/CADTM Morocco

membre du réseau CADTM, l’Association pour la Taxation des Transactions en Aide aux Citoyens au Maroc (ATTAC Maroc) a été créée en 2000. ATTAC Maroc est membre du réseau international du Comité pour l’annulation de la dette du tiers monde (CADTM) depuis 2006 (devenu Comité pour l’abolition des dettes illégitimes depuis juin 2016). Nous comptons 11 groupes locaux au Maroc. ATTAC veut être un réseau aidant à l’appropriation par les acteurs engagés dans l’activité sociale, associative, syndicale et plus largement militante des enjeux de la mondialisation sur les problématiques de résistance sociale et citoyenne.
www.attacmaroc.org
http://arabic.cadtm.org/

Adresse : n°140, rue Cadi Bribri Akkari 10000. Rabat. Maroc
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