Rabat – A group of Moroccan associations and organizations have joined the chorus, denouncing discriminatory and humiliating treatment against Moroccan applicants.
The joint statements signed by the Moroccan League for the Defense of Human Rights, and the Moroccan Forum of Young Journalists among several others renewed concerns about delays in visa appointments, as well as the rejection of many applications submitted by Moroccan applicants.
The joint statement also cited France’s consular services’ failure to provide applicants with means of appeal in the event of a visa refusal, as well as shortcomings related to the outsourcing of administrative services to private operators, among others.
The press release also condemned France’s “obsession with migration and its desire to put pressure on migrants and their countries of origin.”
The signatories of the joint statement recalled the TLSContact‘s recent controversy related to violations of regulations regarding the protection of an individual’s personal data. TLS Contact was mired in controversy for data misuse.
In January, Morocco’s National Commission for the Control of the Protection of Persona ID Data (CND) said that TLSContact has violated law 09-08 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data.
CNDP said that TLSContact extracted images from video surveillance recordings which were regularly transferred to two governmental institutions abroad.
TLS’ failure to notify the CNDP of this transfer constituted a violation of Law No. 09-08, the commission emphasized.
Despite the ongoing controversy as well as visa issues faced by Moroccan applicants, the French embassy continues to claim that France’s consular ties with Morocco have been restored.
“The decisions that were taken in mid-December, that is to say a return to normal in terms of issuance for Moroccan nationals, are well implemented,” French ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier said recently.
Many internet users responded to the ambassador’s remarks, stressing that his claims are “totally wrong.”
“This is totally wrong, appointments are blocked in Casa. It’s shameful,” one Twitter user wrote.
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