Journalist Ali Lmrabet, resident of Barcelona, arrested in Morocco

BarcelonaMoroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet, who has resided in Barcelona for over twenty years, was arrested this Sunday in Morocco after landing at Tangier international airport. According to his wife, Laura Feliu, dean of the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Barcelona, who spoke to ARA, the journalist has been transferred to the National Brigade of Judicial Police in Casablanca, and the charges against him have not been communicated.

"Ali told me he considers himself kidnapped and has decided to personally handle his defense and will not resort to any lawyer," Feliu points out. "According to what they told him in Tangier, the case would be related solely to the exercise of freedom of expression, with no other type of offense," adds the dean. Moroccan authorities have not officially confirmed the journalist's arrest nor have they provided information about his legal status in the country.

Lmrabet (Tetouan, 1959) has distinguished himself by practicing independent journalism critical of the Moroccan monarchy and the deep state. His career has been marked by his journalistic commitment at the helm of Le Journal, Demain, and various satirical publications that were banned in Morocco. In recent years, Lmrabet has collaborated with international media in Spain, France, and the United Kingdom, among other countries, and hosts a podcast about Moroccan politics.

In 2003, he was sentenced to four years in prison, but was released after a year thanks to a pardon from King Mohamed VI, following a hunger strike and an international campaign demanding his release. Morocco banned him from practicing journalism for ten years, and since 2005 he has lived in Barcelona, although he often travels to Morocco to visit family. This is the first time Lmrabet has been arrested in Morocco since he has been living in Barcelona.

Suffocating dissenting voices

Numerous international organizations have warned about systemic violations of freedom of expression in Morocco. The NGO Human Rights Watch published a devastating report  in 2022 accusing Moroccan authorities of having built a subtle legal and media machinery to stifle any dissenting voice.

In the press freedom ranking of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Morocco ranks 105th out of 180 countries analyzed. The press freedom advocacy organization denounces that "independent Moroccan journalists suffer constant pressure and the government aims to subjugate the media and put them at its service. The current government, led by influential businessman Aziz Ajanuch, has strengthened its control over the sector." It also points out that "the pluralism of the Moroccan press is merely a facade, as the media do not reflect the diversity of political opinions in the country. Independent media and journalists face strong pressures, and the right to information is sidelined by a propaganda and disinformation machinery at the service of the political agenda of those in power and their associates."

The release of journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Omar Radi, and Soulaimane Raissouni, with a royal pardon granted on July 30, 2024, generated some hope. However, journalists remain under the constant threat of legal actions and defamation campaigns. During the coverage of the Generation Z demonstrations in 2025, several journalists had their work on the ground obstructed.