Rif Hirak Detainees Denounce Fabricated Charges and Call for Release of Political Prisoners in Morocco

Detainees of the Rif Hirak movement stated in a letter from “Tangier 2” prison that the authorities are fabricating charges against opponents as a means of retaliating against free expression in Morocco, calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

In a message of gratitude addressed to supporters as part of the “Prisoners’ Week,” the detainees said: “Your wave of solidarity was not merely a call; it was a clear popular referendum and proof of a collective awareness that rejects injustice.

Your unified voice has affirmed that the charges fabricated against the detainees of the Rif Hirak, as well as all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in our country, are nothing more than tools aimed at obscuring the light of truth and taking revenge on free expression.

Today, nothing remains hidden from anyone; the truth shines as brightly as the sun, and the will of the people is the true source of legitimacy.” The detainees further stressed that “those who truly believe in democracy must have the courage to respect the will of the people and to respond immediately to all its just demands, foremost among them the immediate release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.” The Rif Hirak detainees also considered solidarity to be the most powerful weapon against oblivion, emphasizing that supporters are the voice of those deprived of their freedom. They expressed pride, appreciation and gratitude for the broad and meaningful participation in the campaign by Moroccans, both at home and abroad, across all backgrounds and orientations.

Human rights advocates and social media activists, within the country and across its borders, have launched a new international online campaign over the course of a week (Prisoners’ Week) calling for the release of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience under the hashtag “Freedom for Rif Hirak Detainees.”