Historian and human rights activist Maâti Monjib, who was on hunger strike for 19 days, was released on probation on Tuesday, March 23rd.
In prison for three months and convicted of “fraud” and “danger to state security”, he has repeatedly condemned an “violent” arrest. He and his lawyers intend to drop all charges against him and against other detainees.
“The accusations against me are made by the political police. (…) Now that I enjoy temporary release, I will fight for the release of the other detainees ”: these are the words spoken by Maâti Monjib following his release from El Arjat Prison, near Rabat, Tuesday, March 23rd. The French-Moroccan historian seemed weakened, emaciated, but happy.
The investigating judge decided to temporarily release the 60-year-old man.
On January 27, Maâti Monjib was sentenced to one year in prison for “fraud” and “danger to state security” after an initial investigation into “money laundering”.
“Political” accusations in his eyes, which he again asserted on Tuesday. While his support committee in Paris was mobilized, Borderless journalists on Friday, March 19, called for his immediate release and condemned a “blatant injustice”.
After hearing the historian’s release, Christophe Deloire, general secretary of the RSF, hailed a “victory” and called for “the abandonment of all unjust prosecutions launched against journalists in Morocco”.
“That all charges against Maâti Monjib be finally dismissed”
Me Mohamed Messaoudi announced earlier in the day on Tuesday the release of her client who has “lost 12 kilos” since the start of her hunger strike on March 4.
Ms Vincent Bergarth, from William Bourdon’s office in charge of the defense of Maâti Monjib in Paris, asked the RFI to welcome this temporary release “with great relief” because the health condition of the prison “was extremely worrying”. he suffers from diabetes and heart problems.
A further condemnation of the “completely arbitrary nature” of the detention to which Maâti Monjib was subjected continued Me Bergarth: charges now weighing on Maâti Monjib are finally dismissed, so much so that the political nature of the measure and the trials in this case do not reveals let the slightest doubt be. ”
Six journalists and activists were tried and convicted along with Maâti Monjib in January. Three of them left Morocco and were granted political asylum in France and the Netherlands. According to the Franco-Moroccan human rights activist, the legal repression of him finds its source in an article he wrote about the “parallel state” in Morocco that allegedly attacks activists.
Maati Monjib is free ✌? Journalism is not a crime, neither in Algeria nor in Morocco and nowhere else https://t.co/UApm2SDhqv
– Khaled Drareni (@khaleddrareni) March 23, 2021
“The political nature of the measure and the trial in this case are not in doubt”
Me Vincent Bergarth after the temporary release of the historian Maâti Monjib
(With AFP)
