The Local Coordination for Freedoms and the Right to Organization in Marrakech has denounced the arrest of Said Ait Mahdi, head of the Al-Haouz Earthquake Victims’ Coordination, for his activism alongside those affected by the September 2023 earthquake in the High Atlas region.
Ait Mahdi has been vocal in protests demanding fair compensation and the rights of the earthquake victims, including a recent demonstration in Rabat highlighting delays in reconstruction efforts. The organization condemned his arrest as “arbitrary” and “retaliatory,” aimed at silencing exposure of “grave violations” against victims.
Fifteen months after the disaster, reconstruction remains stalled, with inadequate compensation for destroyed homes and many families excluded entirely. The coordination also criticized the lack of implementation of the decree declaring the affected areas disaster zones, which mandates state support until recovery is complete.
The group called for Ait Mahdi’s immediate release and urged authorities to prioritize fair compensation, inclusive rebuilding efforts, and humane treatment of earthquake victims, rejecting repression and neglect in addressing their plight.
