Morocco’s Independence Party leader accuses deep state of liquidating opponents

The head of Morocco’s Istiqlal (Independence) Party, Hamid Chabat, has stirred controversy among political circles in the country after accusing the so-called deep state of committing economic crimes and liquidating political opponents.

In an article published on the party’s website, Chabat also accused what he described as “influential actors” in the state of controlling the judiciary to put pressure on opposition politicians. He said that the same political actors use the media to discredit their opponents and called for an investigation into the sources of the wealth of some senior figures who are listed by America’s Forbes magazine as being among the richest people in the world.

Although Forbes listed King Mohammed VI and the Minister of Agriculture and Fishery, Aziz Akhannouch, who is close to the king, and other billionaires, they do not belong to the world of politics.

Istiqlal Party has issued a statement saying that the article does not represent its official position. It did not, however, challenge the content, although it has removed it from the website.