Monjib wrote that Morocco’s human rights minister Mustapha Ramid reassured him in a phone call that his “rights are protected.”
Rabat – Morocco’s human rights minister Mustapha Ramid has spoken to Maati Monjib, a Moroccan historian who decided to go on a hunger strike for 48 hours on Monday, April 22, when his university threatened to fire him.
On his Facebook account, Monjib thanked all “activists and citizens who stood by me in this new ordeal, accompanied by the same slander I suffer from for years with yellow journalism.”
Officially declaring that he was ending the hunger strike, Monjib added that he received a call from Ramid “reassuring me.” Monjib relayed Ramid’s message that he contacted “the ministry in charge of my case to ensure there’s no prejudice against me.”
Read also: Moroccan Historian to Go on Hunger Strike Over Absenteeism Allegations
Monjib wrote a post on Facebook declaring his hunger strike in protest of allegations from the Institute of African Studies, where he teaches. The institute accused Monjib of absenteeism and threatened to fire him if he did not return to work within seven days.
Monjib, however, denied their claim saying some of his colleagues at the same institute signed testimonials as witnesses of his attendance.
Monjib, who taught investigative journalism and worked with the Moroccan Association for Investigative Journalism, noted the results of the 2019 report by Reporters without Borders (RSF), which described Morocco’s climate of journalism as “very difficult,” placing it 135th out of 180 countries.
Read also: Morocco’s SNPM President Rebuffs RSF Report on Moroccan Press Freedom
Monjib claimed the situation of journalists in Morocco has grown worse since the arrest of the co-founder of the Moroccan news outlet Lakome, Ali Anouzla.
Criticizing Morocco’s human rights situation, Monjib was brought to court in 2017 on charges of “threatening state security” and “receiving foreign funds,” which generated wider criticism from human rights organizations like RSF.
