Morocco Parliament calls on Amnesty to apologise

The Moroccan parliament yesterday criticised Amnesty International and called on the rights group to apologise and provide evidence of allegations officials spied on journalists in the country using Israeli software.

Several parliamentary blocs stressed the need to “respect human rights as stipulated by the constitution and international law” while holding on to the United Nations’ mechanisms.

During a parliamentary session on Monday, the parliamentary blocs demanded Amnesty provide evidence for its allegations or apologise out of respect for the human rights advocacy, declaring their “engagement in the defence of national sovereignty against any hostility”.

Moroccan authorities on Friday rejected an Amnesty report which claimed they spied on journalist Omar Radi using Israeli-made technology.

Amnesty said it checked Radi’s phone and alleged that authorities had snooped on him using spyware developed by cybersecurity company NSO Group, which has been linked to the murder of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

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Radi, a critic of Morocco’s human rights record, had been questioned by police for what the prosecutor said were suspicions he received funds linked to foreign intelligence services.

The Moroccan MPs denounced what they described as “Amnesty International’s allegations about cell phone spying, and the subsequent campaign against the interests of the Kingdom of Morocco,” declaring “their rejection of systematic prejudice and the underestimation of Morocco’s achievements in the field of human rights and freedoms.”

In its response to Friday’s calls, the human rights group said: “The Moroccan government has falsely accused Amnesty International of failing to offer them the right of reply on the findings of the report, and of fabricating facts and failing to provide evidence to back up the claims made within it.” Adding that it offered authorities the right to reply two weeks prior to publication.

“This is not the first time efforts have been made to undermine Amnesty’s work and coincides with a deepening repression within the country. Dozens of human rights activists, independent journalists and protesters are currently in prison and the authorities have taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past months to prosecute more critics,” Amnesty added.