Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Morocco’s General Delegation for the Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) has accused journalist Soulaiman Raissouni of faking a hunger strike to secure his release from prison.
Raissouni, who is facing charges of alleged sexual assault, is said to have been on hunger strike since April.
Activists in Morocco and beyond have been calling for the journalist’s immediate release, warning that he would be persistent with his hunger strike despite his ill-health.
Raissouni’s defense team released on Monday a statement denouncing Moroccan authorities’ handling of his situation, warning that his health condition has considerably deteriorated in recent weeks.
“Only his skeleton has been left of him,” the defense team said.
The statement also extended Raissouni’s gratitude to his supporters, noting that the journalist is thankful to everyone who expressed support and solidarity with his case.
In response to the statement, the DGAPR said Raissouni is only seeking to gain public support and sympathy to force the court to release him.
“The public should know that with his hunger strike, [Soulaiman Raissouni] aims to push the court to release him,” DGAPR said.
Since Raissouni announced his hunger strike, the medical staff in the prison has been ensuring daily monitoring, including taking Raissouni’s “vital signs” to best follow any changes in the state of his health, said the prison authority.
“From that day until today, out of the 36 times the inmate was asked to take his vital signs, he refused to have his blood sugar measured 23 times and his weight and blood pressure 12 times,” DGAPR argued.
According to the statement, Raissouni’s blood sugar and blood pressure remained normal most of the time since he announced his hunger strike.
“As for his weight, he has not decreased too significantly since April 28, 2021, the date of his strike announcement. The loss recorded from that date until 29, 2021 did not exceed 19 kilograms.”
The DGAPR argued that Raissouni has had constant access to health monitoring and blood tests.
Questioning Raisouni’s hunger strike, DGAPR appeared to wonder how a person who was on a hunger strike for 87 days could lose only 19 kilograms.
“Public opinion should take cognizance of certain data so that it can answer these fully understandable and justified questions,” the DGAPR said.
The statement also noted that Raissouni had a meal of meat and vegetables on May 22.
“He ate the same meal and received from the management of the prison a basket full of fruit, dates, and yogurts,” the statement added.
DGAPR’s latest statement is similar to a press release the prison authority published on June 18.
The June statement suggested that Raissouni is actually following a diet and is not on hunger strike.
Security services arrested Raissouni, who is the editor-in-chief of the Al Akhbar Al Youm newspaper, in May 2020 after a man filed a complaint against the journalist, and accusing him of sexual assault.
The man said the alleged assault took place in 2018.
Several online campaigns emerged following his arrest, calling for his immediate release.
Many public figures joined the campaign, inncluding Raissouni’s brother Ahmed Raissouni, who is the head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars.
