Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News

6 minutes read. Updated 2:48PM GMT Tues, 23July, 2024

In a significant judicial decision that has captured international attention, Mohamed Ziane, the former Moroccan Minister of Human Rights, has been sentenced to five years in prison. The appeals court in Rabat handed down the sentence in a corruption case, which Ziane’s attorney, Ali Reda Ziane, denounced as retribution for his father’s outspoken defense of political prisoners and government critics.

The 81-year-old Ziane, once known for his loud and combative rhetoric, chose to remain silent during the hearing as a form of protest. He and two colleagues were found guilty of corruption and embezzlement during Morocco’s 2015 election campaign. Ziane’s attorney, who is also his son, vehemently denied the charges and criticized the court’s proceedings, stating that the defense had lost all 17 appeals due to procedural irregularities.

“This case is a clear indication that freedom of expression is being stifled in Morocco,” said Ali Reda Ziane in an interview with The Associated Press. He linked the legal actions against his father to his defense of journalists and activists who faced charges after criticizing the government.

The sentencing is the latest development in a series of cases that have drawn condemnation from Morocco’s international allies and human rights organizations. In 2022, Ziane received a three-year sentence for multiple charges, including defamation, adultery, sexual harassment, and insulting a public official.

The Moroccan Association in Support of Political Prisoners described the charges as arbitrary and the proceedings as unfair, labeling the case as “purely political, aiming to humiliate and subjugate the man and discourage him from expressing his opinions.”

Human Rights Watch, in a 2022 report, detailed the Moroccan government’s crackdown on freedom of expression, highlighting how high-profile journalists and activists have been accused and prosecuted for non-speech crimes. The Moroccan government dismissed the report as biased and full of false allegations.

Ziane’s legal troubles have been further compounded by media leaks of images and videos suggesting an affair with a client, allegations his defense team linked to Morocco’s intelligence services — a claim denied by the Interior Ministry. Amnesty International condemned the charges against Ziane as “bogus,” asserting they stem from his defense of activists, journalists, and victims of human rights abuses.

Notable figures defended by Ziane include Taoufik Bouachrine, the former editor of the independent newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm, and Nasser Zefzafi, an activist from Morocco’s Rif region. Bouachrine is serving a 15-year sentence for human trafficking, blackmail, and sexual misconduct, while Zefzafi is serving a 20-year sentence for undermining public order and threatening national unity.

Ziane’s legal and activist career began after his tenure as Morocco’s Human Rights Minister from 1996 to 1997. His role as a dissenting voice in Moroccan politics solidified after his resignation, culminating in his defense of activists and journalists critical of the government since 2017.

Backlinks:

  • Human Rights Watch Report on Morocco
  • Amnesty International Statement on Mohamed Ziane
  • The Associated Press Coverage on Mohamed Ziane