“RIF Hirak” prisoners in Morocco are facing undeserved sentences

Let’s expand the international solidarity until the drop of adjudications and their release.

The Appeal Court of Casablanca stated on Tuesday, 26 June 2018, heavy sentences against the leaders and activists of the popular and heroic movement of the Rif region “Hirak Rif”.

This protest movement started after the murder of Mohsin Fikri, who was crushed in the garbage truck on October 28, 2016. Since then, Rif people have been demonstrating on streets and public squares to demand the prosecution of murderous perpetrators and to meet the Rif’s economic, social and cultural demands.

The regime tried to stop the movement through different forms of political maneuvering but predominately by violent police interventions and random aerostations. The entire Rif region has been besieged by various repressive forces stationed there since the beginning of May 2017. Demonstrations are prohibited. The arrests are daily and detainees suffer heavy penalties. The young Imad Attabi died following the wild intervention of the repressive forces against the peaceful demonstration of 20 July 2017 in Al Hoceima city.

The number of detainees at Rif Hirak has exceeded 500. The accused activists were accused for several crimes such as “undermining the internal security of the state”, “offense and violence against state forces”or“the holding of public gatherings without authorization”which testify to the nature of laws limiting freedoms.

The heavy sentences - up to 20 years in prison - attest to the extent of despotism in the face of popular struggles in our country. This requires a very broad solidarity to acquit the prisoners and to bring down the verdicts pronounced by a corrupt and undemocratic justice.

The Moroccan regime punishes the Rifan detainees for their courage to refuse its economic liberal policies and to demand the satisfaction of their social demands (construction of public hospitals, a university and infrastructures that guaranteed their dignity) and to call for the prosecution of those responsible for the assassination of Mohsen Fikri and Imad Attabi.

The Rif prisoners pay the price of their resistance to the persistence of the State to maintain, through a strong repression, the austerity policies dictated by the IFIs for the benefit of a wealthy minority linked to the central power.

The Rif “Hirak” is a real grassroots movement fighting for a model of development that satisfies the immediate needs of the majority of citizens, guarantees dignity, puts an end to repression, the violation of freedom of expression and demonstration, robbing and embezzlement of public property.

Only local, national and international popular solidarity is able to guarantee the immediate release of the detainees of Rif’s Hirak and the satisfaction of their legitimate economic, social and cultural demands.

We therefore appeal to all individuals and organizations around the world to sign this appeal to demand the acquittal of prisoners.

For Rif Hirak detainees liberation and satisfaction of its demands!

Rabat, July 1^st 2018

send signatures to attac.cadtm.maroc at gmail.com

Attac Morocco (Member of CADTM international network for the abolition of illegitimate debts)