Moroccan authorities have arrested dissident journalist and political commentator Ali Lmrabet after he arrived at Tangier airport from Spain, according to press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Lmrabet is being investigated over allegations of “disseminating false information harming constitutional institutions,” RSF said. Moroccan judicial authorities had not publicly commented on the arrest at the time of reporting, while a source familiar with the case said he is also the subject of a preliminary investigation following complaints alleging slander and defamation.
A dual Moroccan-French national who has lived in Spain for years, Lmrabet is one of Morocco’s best-known government critics. He was imprisoned in 2003 on charges that included offending the king before receiving a royal pardon in 2004. In 2005, he was banned from practicing journalism in Morocco for 10 years after remarks related to Western Sahara. Since then, he has continued commenting on Moroccan politics through social media and European media outlets.
Rights organizations, including RSF, have raised concerns over the arrest, describing it as another test of press freedom in Morocco amid ongoing scrutiny of the country’s treatment of critical journalists and activists.
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