Increasing Dangers for Migrants and Political Opponents
The recent high-level meeting aimed at further complicating and endangering the routes taken by migrants fleeing poverty and conflict has raised eyebrows, especially as it appears to facilitate the interests of major corporations such as Alstom, Accor, TotalEnergies, Veolia, and Thales. This juxtaposition highlights a troubling trend where the needs of vulnerable populations are overshadowed by corporate agendas.
Simultaneously, the crackdown on political dissent continues unabated. On the very day that a delegation of French representatives arrived in Morocco, an exiled journalist was arrested upon his arrival at the Tangier airport. This led to a young individual expressing outrage, remarking that "the Moroccan airport has become the new Tazmamart," referring to the secret prison infamous for detaining political opponents during the reign of Hassan II from 1961 to 1999. On July 13, rapper and filmmaker Mehdi Black Wind was arrested upon arriving in Casablanca, while in February, Zineb Kharroubi faced arrest at Marrakech's airport, receiving a suspended six-month prison sentence and a fine for a mere tweet on Discord.
The authorities are seemingly determined to silence any dissenting voices that emerge in the wake of the youth revolt, known as the Gen Z 212 movement. In September 2025, the tragic deaths of eight women during childbirth at the Agadir hospital sparked mass protests, with thousands of young people taking to the streets. They decried rampant unemployment, corruption, disdain from authorities, and glaring inequalities, demanding resources be allocated to healthcare and education rather than luxury hotels and stadiums. The protests turned deadly, with three young individuals killed near Agadir and others brutally suppressed in Oujda. The ongoing wave of arrests has left families and loved ones in a state of unbearable anticipation for justice. Regular demonstrations calling for the release of political prisoners echo through major cities, underscoring the regime's inability to extinguish the flames of social discontent.
The regime's nervousness is a clear indication that social anger remains very much alive.
As reported by lutte-ouvriere.org.
