Former Minister of Human Rights and former President of the Moroccan Bar Association, Mohammed Ziane (83), began an open-ended hunger strike on Monday to protest his continued detention despite having completed his prison sentence the previous Friday, his family announced.
In a statement circulated through local media, the family said: “Ziane considers his ongoing detention to be arbitrary and wishes to inform national and international public opinion that he will use all available means to end this situation. He has formally notified the prison administration that he is commencing an open-ended hunger strike until his release, which he regards as his legitimate right.” The announcement followed the family’s weekly visit to the prison, during which his relatives expressed serious concern about the 83-year-old’s deteriorating health, given his age and multiple chronic illnesses.
Moroccan human rights experts described Ziane’s continued detention after the expiry of his sentence as an abuse of power, stressing that holding any individual outside the legal framework, even for a single day, constitutes a grave violation of the rule of law. They added: “Ziane’s decision to go on hunger strike is not a mere protest; it is a final alarm bell revealing the extent of the arbitrariness he faces and a clear signal that all legal remedies have been deliberately blocked, effectively transforming his sentence into an act of personal retribution.” In a separate statement, the Moroccan association “Himam” for the Support of Political Prisoners called for a solidarity protest outside the Rabat Court of Appeal on Wednesday and urged human rights groups and civil society organizations to join in demanding Ziane’s immediate release.
Several Moroccan and international human rights organizations had previously condemned the three-year prison sentence handed down to Mohammed Ziane, describing the trial as unfair and politically motivated due to his public criticism of certain state policies.
They reiterated calls for urgent action to address the deteriorating human rights situation in the country and for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including prisoners of conscience, journalists, and human rights defenders.
