Rabat – The French Minister of Interior, Gerald Darmanin, has thanked Morocco for issuing a pass reflecting its readiness to receive Hassan Iquissouen, the French-born Moroccan imam whom France seeks to expel over charges of “inciting violence and hatred of French values.”
Darmanin said Morocco has issued a “24-hour consular pass” to receive the imam should the French government proceed with its controversial decision to expel him.
Having issued an expulsion order against the French-born Moroccan imam, Darmanin said the imam will be expelled from France “quickly as soon as he is arrested.”
France has been facing backlash for its decision to expel the imam as part of its controversial “separatism law.”
The government says the law is meant to ensure the respect of France’s secularist and republican values. But critics have maintained that because the law is ostensibly aimed at rooting out “political Islam” in France, it is driven by an anti-Islam agenda.
Taking issue with the imam’s critical positions on issues considered highly sensitive in France, Darmanin accused Iquissouen of promoting hate speech against French values.
Earlier this week, the League for Human Rights (LDH) issued a statement condemning France’s decision to expel the Moroccan imam.
Read also: France Uses Controversial Law To Expel Moroccan Imam Iquioussen
In particular, the NGO also denounced France’s refusal to renew the imam’s residence permit, pointing out that Iquioussen has been living in France with his permit renewed at each request without a problem.
Although Iquissouen does not pose security threats, France insists on expelling him to “please the [interior] minister.”
“There is a clear principle in a secular and democratic society: the only limits to freedom of expression are the possibility for others to exercise the same freedom, and public order. This principle must be respected,” LDH said.
Last week, Iquioussen’s lawyer, Lucie Simon, told AFP that he was considering an interim order before the Paris administrative court and a referral to the European Court of Human Rights to appeal against France’s decision to expel the imam.
