Algiers Hosts International Conference Exposing Moroccan Crimes in the Rif, Championing the Right to Self-Determination

Algiers Hosts International Conference Exposing Moroccan Crimes in the Rif, Championing the Right to Self-Determination

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Amid testimonies of atrocities and systematic marginalization, rights defenders and political actors unite in Algiers to affirm the Rif people’s right to self-determination and demand an end to decades of colonial repression.

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Algiers, Algeria– Sunday, July 20, 2025 | In a powerful indictment of Moroccan state policy, an international conference convened in Algiers on Sunday has laid bare the scale of systematic repression, historical erasure, and ongoing human rights violations perpetrated by the Moroccan regime against the people of the Rif region. Titled “The Human Rights Situation in Occupied Rif”, the conference marked a watershed moment in the transnational struggle for justice and sovereignty in one of North Africa’s most silenced territories.

Organized by the Rif National Party in coordination with the Rif Human Rights Observatory, the event brought together a diverse coalition of political figures, human rights advocates, legal experts, and journalists from both Algeria and abroad. Their collective message was unequivocal: the people of the Rif have an inalienable right to self-determination, dignity, and freedom—rights which have been trampled on with impunity since 1956.

After a solemn rendition of the national anthem of the Republic of the Rif, the party’s spokesperson, Yuba al-Ghadioui, opened the forum with a stark reminder: “This gathering marks the beginning of a legal and political roadmap to restore justice to a people whose legitimate cause has long been buried under layers of distortion, marginalization, and official denial.”

Al-Ghadioui outlined the conference’s core pillars—truth, justice, and sovereignty—each one aimed at dismantling the mechanisms of repression and restoring the historical narrative. “We must deconstruct the fabricated histories that have vilified the Rif resistance,” he said, “and reassert the truth of a Republic born in 1921 and crushed under colonial brutality.”

The justice pillar calls for international investigations into Morocco’s grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. These include the use of chemical weapons, forced disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture, and politically motivated trials. Al-Ghadioui stressed the urgency of holding the perpetrators accountable, affirming that “impunity must end—international law demands it.”

The third pillar, sovereignty, invokes UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (1960), which affirms the right of colonized peoples to independence. “Sovereignty is not a gift. It is a birthright. And the people of the Rif will not stop until it is reclaimed,” he declared to thunderous applause.

In an emotionally charged testimony, Ali Aarrass, a former political prisoner tortured in Moroccan prisons, recounted the horrors he endured under false accusations. “I am living proof of the Moroccan regime’s cruelty,” he said, his voice trembling. “They shattered my body, but not my conviction. I stand today for every Riffian silenced behind bars.”

Marie-Françoise Debruyse, a Belgian human rights defender and member of the “Free Ali Aarrass” committee, shared her years-long advocacy for Aarrass’ release and reiterated the international community’s obligation to intervene. “The Rif people have been criminalized for daring to demand dignity. This must end,” she said.

Oussama Redouane, President of the Rif National Party, framed the struggle as one rooted in post-colonial betrayal. “Since the illegal annexation of the Rif in 1956, our people have endured systemic erasure,” he said. He condemned the atrocities committed in 1959, including village burnings, mass rapes, executions, and disappearances, as “a deliberate campaign to annihilate Riffian identity.”

The session also featured Kenneth Kunene, Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Eswatini, who declared full solidarity with the Rif cause. “The Rif struggle is a mirror of all anti-colonial struggles. Justice, sovereignty, and freedom are not negotiable,” he said, urging civil society and international tribunals to act.

Sharon Reyes, a Dutch human rights advocate, emphasized the significance of creating spaces for open dialogue and historical accountability. “This conference is a vital platform to empower the younger generation with knowledge and courage,” she stated. Similarly, Spanish journalist Ana Cotilla called on media outlets to break the silence. “The Rif story is one of resistance and pain. It deserves headlines, not footnotes,” she affirmed.

In their concluding remarks, representatives of various Algerian political parties reaffirmed their unwavering support for the Rif cause, denouncing Morocco’s expansionist ambitions and repressive tactics. “The Rif is not forgotten,” one delegate declared. “Its liberation is a matter of justice and historical responsibility.”

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