Moroccan human rights activists organized a protest Thursday in capital city Rabat with warning to the government over freedom of expression following arrests of more than a dozen bloggers, social media users, journalists and rappers in recent months.
The supporters of the detainees demanded release of the people gathering in from of the parliament building.
A total of 15 such people have been arrested and are either facing charges or are on trial. Some have also been convicted for crimes.
A recent report by the National Solidarity Committee revealed authorities across Morocco have increasingly clamped down such dissent during 2019.
The published report added that in the month of December six people were convicted and it included a high-school student too. They are serving prison from six months to four years for charges that include criticising living conditions in the North African country on Facebook.
A 19-year-old Hamza Asbaar from Southern Laayoune is serving prison term of four years on charges for publishing a rap song deemed offensive to sanctities.
In the period of past two decades the number of arrests related to free speech has been increased significantly to double, activist and journalist Omar Radi.
Radi too is facing a trial for tweeting defending anti-government protesters.
However, government spokesman Hassan Abyaba said there’s a difference between free speech and committing felonies.
