Morocco: Jadda Boubkar is an Opinon Prisoner and Must be Released

 The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information “anhri.net” said today that the Moroccan authorities should release the student and the opinion prisoner “Jadda Boubkar, 22 years old, who was arrested on 21st July, while leaving the university in Taza City, because of his student activity, and his support to boycotting the complementary elections, and criticizing the educational policies and repressive practice by the police forces against the students.

The interrogation with the imprisoned student conducted on past 26th July, and resumed on 6th August, 2008, questioned his belonging to the Democratic Route (La Voie Democratique), and his student activism, which was considered as procrastination, upon his answers stating that his right to belong to Democratic Route and his student activism are parts of his right to have an opinion and communicate it, what puzzled the investigation judge, who decided to postpone the investigation until 13th August, which is considered as procrastination in order to keep him withheld and punish him for his criticism of the cooperation of the faculty administration with the political police apparatus, providing them with personal information of the students and their political backgrounds including Boubkar.

“In the democratic contries, a person may face imprisonment for committing a crime and breaking the law, but in Morocco, a person may be imprisoned for having opinions and expressing them peacefully, which is an attribute of the despotic regimes.” said Gamal Eid the executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, demand the Moroccan government to release the student and the opinion prisoner Jadda Boubkar immediately, and to prevent the police from the repression and to guarantee the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.