Moroccan lawmakers denounce European Parliament criticism

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — The Moroccan Parliament made a decision Monday to rethink its ties with the European Parliament and issue them to a thorough analysis following the EU legislature criticized the state of press freedoms in Morocco.

The selection followed an extraordinary joint plenary session of Morocco’s two houses of Parliament in Rabat on Monday that was convened to tackle the European Parliament’s resolution from previous 7 days.

The Moroccan legislators called the resolution an unacceptable assault on the kingdom’s sovereignty and the independence and sanctity of its judicial institutions, in accordance to a joint parliamentary statement read through out by the speaker of the House of Associates, Rachid Talbi Alami.

Very last week, EU legislators approved a non-binding resolution calling on Moroccan authorities to improve their respect of freedom of expression and media liberty.

The resolution reported push flexibility in the North African kingdom has been “continuously deteriorating,” and known as for “a fair trial with all owing process guarantees” for imprisoned journalists, including Omar Radi, Soulaimane Raissouni and Taoufik Bouachrine.

These resolutions do not drive EU member states to act, but are a wide sign of how the bloc of 450 million folks feels about certain challenges. The vote was 356-32 with 42 abstentions.

The Moroccan Parliament explained the resolution broke have faith in and damage development that had been built in excess of lots of years. It explained Morocco as a lengthy-standing and dependable companion that performs a big role in protecting rights and freedoms and defending regional and worldwide peace and protection, according to the assertion.

It included that the kingdom will by no means take guardianship or classes from any one.

The Parliament defended judges’ conclusions in the cases talked about by the European resolution, indicating they experienced very little to do with journalism or liberty of speech but were being about crimes these types of as sexual assault and taking edge of people’s weaknesses.

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Radi, a well known investigative journalist and activist, was convicted in 2021 on rates of espionage and sexual assault and sentenced to six several years in jail. Radi denies wrongdoing, and rights teams say the charges were politically inspired.

Radi was the subject of an Amnesty Worldwide report in June 2020 that claimed Moroccan authorities had unlawfully spied on the journalist by means of his phone by using advanced surveillance software. The Moroccan federal government disputed the declare.

Raissouni, also described in the European resolution, was sentenced to 5 decades in prison for sexual assault, and Bouachrine has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexual offenses, in accordance to media watchdog Reporters Devoid of Borders.

The EU resolution condemns what it calls Morocco’s “misuse of allegations of sexual assault to deter journalists from doing their responsibilities,” warning that these kinds of misuse “endangers women’s legal rights.”

It also elevated considerations about allegations that Moroccan authorities sought to bribe European Parliament associates as aspect of a broad influence-shopping for scandal also involving allegations from Qatar. Belgian prosecutors are investigating the allegations, aspect of a sweeping corruption scandal that has deeply shaken the EU.

The United States, a Moroccan ally, has in the previous also voiced fears about Morocco’s treatment of journalists.