MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of Journalist in Morocco, notably the case of Omar Radi

17.1.2023 - (2023/2506(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Pedro Marques, Thijs Reuten, Evin Incir
on behalf of the S&D Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0057/2023

B9‑0071/2023

European Parliament resolution on the situation of Journalist in Morocco, notably the case of Omar Radi

(2023/2506(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Morocco,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948,

– having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

A. whereas the situation of press freedom in Morocco deteriorated over the last decade; whereas numerous journalists have been harassed, intimidated and detained in recent years; whereas a number of journalists, critics and activists have faced direct and indirect harassment methods used by the authorities to muzzle and intimidate dissent; whereas woman journalists are particularly vulnerable;

 

B. whereas three professional journalists are currently serving prison sentences for their articles; whereas the 2022 RSF-Press Freedom Prize laureate, Omar Radi, is convicted and sentenced to six years in prison on trumped-up espionage and rape charges related to his coverage of the Hirak Rif; whereas, according to Human Rights Organisations, the proceedings against Omar Radi involved serious violations of international fair trial standards;

 

C. whereas the Morocco’s human rights record has been examined by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working Group on 8 November 2022; whereas the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders urged in 2021 the Moroccan Government to cease targeting human rights defenders and journalists;

 

 

1. Is deeply concerned by the harassment, intimidation and imprisonment of critical journalists in Morocco; calls on the Moroccan authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all detained journalists, including Omar Radi, to end all legal harassment and all intimidation directed at journalists and their families; to end surveillance of journalists and enact legislation to protect journalists against these practise; to strive for the protection and the safety of journalists against all forms of violence, pressure, discrimination, unfair legal proceedings and all attempts aimed at preventing them from accomplishing their profession;

 

2. Urge the Moroccan authorities to abide by its international obligations respecting the freedom of expression and the media freedom and;

 

3. Calls on the EU Institutions to raise at every opportunity with Moroccan authorities the freedom of expression, speech and the media freedom as well as individual cases of journalists, including Omar Radi; calls on them to monitor their detention conditions and the trials against journalists and others that are in court after protesting or expressing their opinion;

 

4. Condemns Morocco’s systematic and sustained violations of the rights of peaceful protestors, journalists, and diaspora activists; denounces the flawed trials that resulted in the convictions of 43 Hirak protestors in 2019, as well as torture and ill-treatment suffered in prison; calls on Moroccan authorities to conduct fair public trials and for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including 2018 Sakharov Prize finalist Nasser Zefzafi;

 

5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of EU Member States, the Moroccan Government and the Moroccan Parliament.