MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Situation of Journalist in Morocco, notably the case of Omar Radi
17.1.2023 - (2023/2506(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure
Tineke Strik, Ignazio Corrao, Jordi Solé, Ana Miranda, Mounir Satouri, Rosa D'Amato, Francisco Guerreiro, Hannah Neumann, Alviina Alametsä, Saskia Bricmont, Heidi Hautala, Gwendoline Delbos‑Corfield
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0057/2023
B9‑0065/2023
European Parliament resolution on Situation of Journalist in Morocco, notably the case of Omar Radi
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas Omar Radi, Moroccan investigative journalist and human rights activist reporting on government corruption has been detained since 29 July 2020 and sentenced to six years of prison, a sentence upheld by an Appeal Court; whereas one of the charges against Mr Radi was engagement in spying activities for the Dutch government; whereas Mr Radi’s trial violated multiple standards of international law governing fair trials;
B. whereas the Moroccan government has reportedly used the notorious “Pegasus” spyware technology to target and surveil prominent Moroccan human rights defenders (HRDs), including Mr. Radi;
C. whereas Moroccan courts have convicted dozens of journalists and disproportionally sanctioned critical media outlets on arbitrary charges;
1. Condemns the Moroccan government’s sustained judicial harassment against journalists and HRDs ;
2. Calls on Morocco’s Court of Cassation to consider the violation of Mr Radi’s right to a fair trial and to issue a ruling consistent with Morocco's declared commitment to fair trial standards under international law; calls for Omar Radi's provisional release pending re-trial; calls on the Moroccan judiciary to guarantee fair, timely and due process and respect for the rights of detainees;
3. Urges Morocco to cease its harassment, intimidation and surveillance of journalists and HRDs inside and outside Morocco, including Hicham Mansouri, Fouad Abdelmoumni, Hajar Raissouni, Maati Monjib, Taoufik Bouachrine, Soulaiman Raissouni and Ignacio Cembrero;
4. Urges the EU and its Member States not to fund, train or export surveillance technology;
5. Regrets that the Netherlands only rebuked spying allegations against Mr Radi after his conviction;
6. Calls on EU officials and representatives of Member States to continue raising cases of detained journalists and HRDs with Morocco; calls on the EU Mission and embassies from Member States to visit the prisons, support political prisoners and attend trails of targeted journalists and HRDs;
7. Expresses its concern about the human rights situation in Morocco, including increasing harassment of activists and critics, laws restricting individual freedoms, occupation of Western Sahara and repression of the Sahrawi people, neglect of the Rif, clampdown on its Hirak movement and instrumentalisation of migration towards the EU;
8. Calls on the EU to employ its leverage towards concrete improvements of human rights situation in Morocco and ensure that funding to Morocco is conditional upon respect for international law; regrets that the HRVP during his recent visit refrained from publicly raising human rights concerns; deplores the EU´s persistent failure to comply with international law and EU jurisprudence in its dealings with Western Sahara; calls on European judiciary to dismiss SLAPP cases by Morocco;
9. Expresses deep concern about allegations that Morocco has also attempted to influence MEPs; calls for the application of the same measures as applied to representatives of Qatar; reiterates its commitment to fully investigate and address cases of corruption by non-EU countries seeking to buy influence in European Parliament;
10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, HRVP, the Member States, and Morocco;