Washington D.C. – The arrest of the investigative journalist Maati Monjib for fraud and money laundering has put Morocco in a delicate public relations position. Moreover, as the case drags on, so does the bad press, which could evolve into a diplomatic nightmare. Moroccan authorities arrested Mr. Monjib in December 2020. He was sentenced to one year in jail for endangering state security.
Monjib‘s supporters maintain that the Moroccan government has targeted him for his human rights work and writing. According to Amnesty International, “the charges against him are based on activities protected by the right to freedom of association that do not warrant prosecution or detention.”
The Moroccan-French historian lived and taught in several countries, including the US and seems to enjoy a large support among several NGOs and civil society groups. In the last few weeks, rights organizations around the globe have started to draw attention to his plight.
This case comes at a critical time for the Moroccan government, especially in Washington where several countries, including Spain and Algeria, are working hard to reverse former President Trump’s decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty on the Western Sahara.
If Mr. Monjib was a real menace, then Moroccan authorities should take all the legal actions to stop his work and let Moroccan diplomats face the diplomatic and political fallings-out that might result from such actions. However, this does not seem to be the case.
The government should evaluate if pursuing Monjib’s case is worth risking a change in the American position on the Western Sahara, especially as human rights become “central” to President Biden’s policy in dealing with America’s allies.
Regardless of whether the case of “money laundering” against him has merit, it is not in the best interests of the Moroccan state to persecute Mr. Monjib. Indeed, if his case turns into a “ cause célèbre”, it would give Morocco’s enemies an opening to deepen a gap between the new American government and Rabat.
Furthermore, if something bad would happen to Monjib while in custody, Morocco’s diplomacy would need to shift its focus and resources away from defending national causes to explaining the circumstances and the events surrounding these incidents.
While the United States appreciates its partnership with Morocco, there are elements within the current White House and the U.S. Congress who could derail this alliance if given a chance or a reason. A bad press resulting from the jailing of ’Maati Monjib, and others, is a gift to the Kingdom’s enemy and an opening to stop Rabat’s momentum in Washington.
It will be wrong to believe that the Biden administration will tolerate rights violations in Morocco, like those the international community sees in Monjib’s case, for the sake of the security relationship with the Kingdom, or even to save the new rapprochement between Morocco and Israel. Rabat should not fall into this trap and squander all that it has worked for and achieved over the past few months.
In fact, recent American political, military and diplomatic restrictions put on Saudi Arabia for the jailing and harassment of dissidents are a window to the Biden administration’s approach of rebalancing old American values and interests with his team’s new foreign policy.
In addition, the intensification of discussions in Washington on potential proposals to take punitive actions against Egypt for its human rights violations symbolizes a hardening of the position of the United States in respect to human rights at the international level.
The pro-Algerian lobby is waiting for a reason to call on President Biden to recalibrate American policy in North Africa. Washington recognizes the role of Morocco in supporting regional stability and fighting international terrorism, however, a simple diplomatic miscalculation by the Moroccan government could easily lead to a cooling of the relationship between the two nations.
The Biden administration seems to put the values of human rights and the rule of law at the center of its foreign policy. Morocco cannot afford to find itself in a situation where its civil rights record is disputed, the type of situation that Maati Monjib’s detention is creating.
To ensure that the American-Moroccan relationship endures and thrives under the current administration, Moroccan officials must avoid distractions like the case of Maati Monjib.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy
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