Doha – Moroccan authorities detained well-known economist and human rights activist Fouad Abdelmoumni on Wednesday, October 30, in Rabat.

The 66-year-old activist was taken into custody on charges of “reporting a knowingly fictitious crime” and “spreading numerous false claims,” according to a statement from the public prosecutor’s office to MAP, the national news agency.

The arrest came just a day after Abdelmoumni made a controversial Facebook post during French President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day state visit to Morocco.

In the post, Abdelmoumni alleged that Morocco had used Israeli-made Pegasus spyware for espionage against France in 2021.

“France, which sees its position decline among all nations, would not want to give in to the blackmail of a weak state which uses all the means of pressure at its disposal (…) including espionage,” AFP reported him as writing.

Abdelmoumni, a former head of the anti-corruption NGO Transparency Morocco and a member of the Alliance of the Left Federation party, is set to appear in court on Friday, according to his lawyer Mohammed Nouini.

The activist also serves as a coordinator for the Moroccan Political Prisoners Support Body, which described his arrest as “arbitrary” and “part of a wave of harassment targeting” him in a press release.

Prosecutor’s statement

The Prosecutor of the King at the Court of First Instance in Casablanca announced that following the false information published on certain social media platforms about the conditions and circumstances of the investigation and placement of a person in custody, the Prosecutor’s Office ordered the opening of a judicial investigation against the person concerned.

The individual is suspected of having committed criminal acts punishable by law, including reporting a knowingly fictitious crime and spreading numerous false information.

The prosecutor’s office is managing all the procedures of the investigation conducted by the National Brigade of the Judicial Police and will take the necessary legal measures in light of the results of the investigation once completed.

Reactions from civil society organizations

The arrest of Fouad Abdelmoumni has sparked strong reactions from various civil society organizations in Morocco.

The Democratic Left Federation’s Political Bureau expressed its deep concern over the “arbitrary arrest” of Abdelmoumni, who is a member of the party’s Arbitration and Ethics Committee.

In their statement, the party emphasized that “the arrest of comrade Abdelmoumni, known for his courage in facing tyranny and exposing corruption cases and the plundering of public money, is a blatant assault on freedom of opinion and expression and a direct targeting of anyone who stands in the face of corruption and the abuse of power.”

They stated that the arrest represents a new escalation and a systematic campaign targeting activists committed to the causes of freedom, social justice, and human rights.

In addition, the party called for the “immediate and unconditional release of comrade Abdelmoumni” and reaffirmed their commitment to “continuing the struggle for freedom of expression and human rights, and defending the rights and dignity of citizens.”

Transparency Morocco, where Abdelmoumni previously served as president, also condemned the arrest, calling it a “blatant violation of freedom of opinion and expression.”

The organization stated that “denouncing arbitrary practices and systemic corruption is not a crime or an offense,” arguing that Abdelmoumni is “known for his courageous and bold stances regarding the defense of human rights and the fight against corruption.”

The organization noted that the arrest was preceded by “numerous harassments and threats” and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the activist.

They added that “silencing dissenting and critical voices is not a solution” and that “on the contrary, attacks and human rights violations can only lead to regressive and tragic situations for Morocco.”

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH) considered Abdelmoumni’s arrest arbitrary and discretionary, demanding his immediate release.

According to the AMDH Central Bureau, the activist was arrested “because of his political, rights, and intellectual activity, and because of his role in exposing political detention and supporting political detainees, and exposing unpopular policies and authoritarian decisions based on rent economy, corruption, and plundering of public money.”

The association expressed its “absolute solidarity” with Abdelmoumni and all victims of political detention in the country.

They announced that they would “follow the developments of Fouad’s arrest file and take all necessary measures regarding it according to the type of developments that may occur.”

Previous accusations and targeting of critics

The arrest of Abdelmoumni comes amidst previous accusations against Morocco of using Pegasus spyware to monitor prominent figures, including French President Emmanuel Macron, in 2021.

These allegations, based on a report by Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International, were denied by Morocco as “baseless and false.”

Abdelmoumni himself has been a target of harassment and intimidation in the past.

According to a 2022 Human Rights Watch report on Morocco’s targeting of critics, an anonymous person distributed a video of Abdelmoumni and his then-partner-now-wife having sex, likely shot from a hidden camera inside his home.

The information was later used in pro-government media in an effort to intimidate him.

The activist has been a prominent figure in defending human rights since he was imprisoned and tortured alongside other left-wing activists during the repressive “Years of Lead” under King Hassan II.

He has publicly supported pro-democracy efforts in Morocco, including during the Arab Spring and the 2017 “Hirak” movement.

Macron’s visit and bilateral relations

The arrest of Abdelmoumni came during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron aimed at mending relations between France and Morocco, which had been strained in recent years due to issues such as the “Pegasus Affair.”

During the visit, the two countries signed economic agreements worth over €10 billion and Macron reiterated his support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

However, Macron did not mention human rights in his speeches at various events during the three-day visit, as reported by the Associated Press.

The activist’s arrest and the reactions it has generated have brought the issue of human rights and freedom of expression in Morocco back into the spotlight.