7 August 2020 by Myriam Bourgy , ATTAC/CADTM Morocco , Pauline Imbach
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 10th 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 10th 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.
1 February 2011, by Myriam Bourgy
24 June 2010, by Daniel Munevar , Myriam Bourgy
International Campaign against the illegitimate debt
North/South study and strategy meeting, Quito, Sepetember 9-15, 200826 September 2008, by Myriam Bourgy
23 June 2008, by Myriam Bourgy
member of the CADTM network, the Association pour la Taxation des Transactions en Aide aux Citoyens au Maroc (ATTAC Morocco) was founded in 2000. ATTAC Maroc has been a member of the international network of the Committee for the Cancellation of Third World Debt (CADTM) since 2006 (which became the Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debts in June 2016). We have 11 local groups in Morocco. ATTAC aims to be a network that helps those involved in social, associative, trade union and more broadly militant activity to take ownership of the challenges of globalisation on issues of social and citizen resistance.
www.attacmaroc.org
http://arabic.cadtm.org/
Address : n°140, rue Cadi Bribri Akkari 10000. Rabat. Maroc
Email : attac.cadtm.maroc at gmail.com
Website attacmaroc.org Tel 00 212 6 61 17 30 39
27 September, by Collective , ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
18 September, by Collective , ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
28 June, by CADTM International , Collective , Attac France , ATTAC/CADTM Morocco , Debt for climate
25 June, by ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
21 June, by Collective , ATTAC/CADTM Morocco , CADTM Afrique
22 December 2022, by ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
7 August 2022, by ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
Press release
37 deaths at European borders: Spain-Morocco agreement on immigration is deadly!27 June 2022, by ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
28 December 2021, by ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
2 December 2021, by ATTAC/CADTM Morocco
4 May 2020, by Pauline Imbach
29 April 2014, by Pauline Imbach , Maria Elena Saludas
WSF Tunis
Tunis: Birth of a Common Front of Political Organisations Against Debt27 March 2013, by Pauline Imbach
2 November 2011, by Pauline Imbach
1 February 2011, by Pauline Imbach , Zinaba Aboudou Rasmane , Mike Krolikowski
6 November 2009, by Pauline Imbach , Hélene Baillot
14 July 2008, by Eric Toussaint , Eric De Ruest , Pauline Imbach