Morocco king frees imprisoned journalists and intellectuals
Three journalists and an intellectual were pardoned and released from prison on July 29 by King Mohammed VI, reports AFP.
Known for their criticism of the government and reports on corruption, journalists Omar Radi, Soulaimane Raissouni and Taoufik Bouachrine had been imprisoned by the state on what is widely believed to be trumped up sex charges. According to AFP, they “rejected the accusations of sexual assault against them, believing that it was a way of punishing them because of their opinions”.
Omar Radi was recently suspected of being tortured, or at the very least bullied, in jail according to a in depth report from Maghrebi who interviewed both his father and brother.
A Moroccan official told AFP that they were among the 2,476 people whose pardons were announced by the Ministry of Justice, on the occasion of the Throne Day celebrated on July 30th celebrating Mohammed VI’s reign of 25 years.
AFP/France 24
