Rabat — In the government’s first response to the events in Fnideq, Mustapha Baitas, the Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament and government spokesperson, reported that 152 individuals have been prosecuted for inciting illegal migration.
At a press conference after the weekly government council meeting, Baitas expressed the government’s regret over the recent events in Fnideq. He highlighted that while illegal migration is a widespread issue, the recent crisis particularly involved hundreds of young people who were misled and incited by unidentified sources via social media.
In response to journalists’ questions about the Fnideq events, Baitas stated, “Some youths are being incited by unknown entities through the exploitation of social media to mobilize them for irregular migration.”
The government spokesperson confirmed that nearly 3,000 individuals attempted to migrate irregularly from Fnideq, noting that “all these attempts were successfully thwarted.”
Baitas praised the professionalism and wisdom shown by the public forces, who adhered strictly to legal standards. He highlighted that they “ensured, first and foremost, the safety of the individuals attempting irregular migration,” and reported that “no fatalities were recorded among them.”
In this context, he noted that the image of alleged half-naked detained migrants in Tetouan that sparked considerable debate on social media is now the subject of an investigation by the appropriate judicial authorities.
The unfortunate events in Fnideq and the recent surge in illegal migration have ignited significant public outrage in Morocco, with widespread criticism directed at the government for allegedly driving youth to take such risks.
Many in Moroccan society believe that, given the government’s responsibility for managing living conditions and related issues, it must implement comprehensive strategies to address the underlying causes of migration.
Improving job opportunities and fostering local development are among the essential steps to prevent citizens from feeling forced to migrate.
According to the latest report from the Moroccan High Commission for Planning (HCP), the unemployment rate in Morocco rose to 13.1% in the second quarter of 2024, up from 12.4% in the same period of 2023, reflecting a 0.7 percentage point increase.
Since the start of the year, Moroccan security forces have thwarted 45,015 migration attempts and dismantled 177 criminal networks engaged in human smuggling.
