The demands come as journalist Omar Radi remains behind bars for a social media post. His trial is set to take place on January 2.
Rabat – Moroccan Member of Parliament Omar Balafrej, from the Federation of the Democratic Left party, has launched a debate on drafting a law to grant amnesty for the prisoners of Hirak Rif and all other popular movements in Morocco.
Balafrej said that requesting amnesty is well within the constitutional rights of the government and parliament. The MP brought up the draft law that his party had already presented in a plenary parliamentary session on Monday, December 30.
“Don’t you see, like we do, that it is necessary to achieve a political breakthrough in the country?” asked the MP, addressing Morocco’s Head of GovernmentSaad Eddine El Othmani.
“It is time to start discussing this amnesty and update this proposal through adding a number of militants, including Omar Radi who was arrested last week,” Balafrej continued.
Moroccan police arrested journalist Omar Radi on contempt charges in Casablanca on Thursday, December 26, following a summons. The journalist’s trial is set to take place on Thursday, January 2.
Radi’s detention came in response to a tweet, posted on April 6, when he criticized a Casablanca Court judge for the severe sentences pronounced against militants from the Hirak Rif movement.
Several organizations, public figures, and activists denounced the journalist’s detention.
On Saturday, December 28, hundreds of activists and journalists stood in front of the parliament in Rabat to support Radi and condemn his detention.
Based on the announced charges, the journalist could face up to two years in prison.
