Morocco denies contact with self- proclaimed Donetsk Republic to save citizen

Morocco yesterday denied that it had made “official or unofficial contact” with the self-proclaimed Republic of Donetsk to save a Moroccan citizen from the death penalty, Anadolu news agency reported.

“This entity is not recognised by our country [Morocco] nor by the United Nations,” the Moroccan Embassy in Ukraine said in a statement.

Earlier, media outlets quoted Foreign Minister of the pro-Russia Donetsk, Natalia Nieconova, saying that “Morocco had sent certain signals” regarding the case of Ibrahim Saadoun who had been sentenced to death for fighting alongside the Ukrainian forces against Russia, adding that Morocco’s “request for contact had been accepted.”

Earlier yesterday, Ibrahim’s father, Taher Saadoun, called on the Moroccan authorities to take serious actions to return Ibrahim to his homeland.

READ: Morocco man sentenced to death in Donetsk has Ukraine nationality, not a mercenary, says father

“I appeal to the [Moroccan] Prime Minister to use whatever channels he has been given, to show that Morocco, which demolished a mountain to save the child Rayan, would race to save the lives of its citizens” said Taher Saadoun during a press conference.

“I am certain that my son will be liberated,” he added.

In April, local authorities in Donetsk arrested Ibrahim Saadoun.  On June 9, the Donetsk Supreme Court sentenced to death Saadoun and British citizens Sean Pinner and Andrew Hill, on charges of war crimes and terrorism.