Rabat – Spokesperson of the Moroccan government Hassan Abyaba blasted the interference of the Dutch parliament in Morocco’s domestic affairs.
MPs from the Dutch parliament issued a report on Hirak Rif, the Moroccan popular protest movement that erupted following the death of local fishmonger Mohcine Fikri in October 2016 in Al Hoceima, northern Morocco.
The report comes after a visit of a delegation from the Netherlands to Al Hoceima in January.
The Dutch government has repeatedly called on Morocco to release activists authorities arrested during the protests in the Al Hoceima province in 2017 and 2018.
Morocco’s government, however, has repeatedly rejected the Netherlands’ interference.
Abyaba, in response to the latest report from Dutch MPs, said that Morocco is a sovereign country and “does not accept the interference of any party in its internal affairs.”
He added, the country refuses to take lessons from any third party
“This is unacceptable,” he added.
Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita has criticized Dutch interference in the domestic affairs of the country more than once .
“[The situation in the Rif] is not a diplomatic question, and cannot be subject to a diplomatic discussion; it is an internal affair and under no circumstances can it be dealt with through discussions,” said the FM.
The minister confirmed to Moroccan newspaper Al Massae that the Dutch ambassador to Morocco was summoned after Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok repeated calls for the release of the protesters a parliamentary session in the Netherlands, responding to a Dutch MP’s question about the Moroccan court’s decision to sentence Moroccan activists to up to 20 years in prison.
