Moroccan Minister Mohammed Ziane on Hunger Strike to Protest Convictions

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

ALGIERS- Moroccan opposition lawyer Mohammed Ziane, aged 81, has embarked on a hunger strike to demand his release. Ziane has been serving a three-year prison sentence since late 2022.

His lawyer and son, Ali Reda Ziane, stated in an interview with AFP that Ziane is on hunger strike because he does not acknowledge the charges he was convicted of and did not receive a fair trial. He demands his release.

Despite attempts to persuade him to end the strike during a visit to the prison on Friday afternoon, he remains steadfast.

Lawyer and politician Mohammed Ziane, known for his critical views of the authorities in recent years, was arrested in November 2022 after an appeals court in Rabat upheld a three-year prison sentence against him in criminal cases. He denies these charges and stresses his trial is politically motivated.

The case dates back to late 2020 when Ziane accused Abdellatif Hammouchi, the director-general of national security and internal intelligence, of fabricating a video allegedly showing Ziane in a compromising position with one of his clients in a hotel room.

Following this, the Ministry of Interior announced in early 2021 its intention to sue Ziane “for attacking state institutions by promoting false accusations and claims.”

The public prosecutor’s office charged Ziane with 11 offenses, including “insulting the judiciary and organized bodies,” “broadcasting false facts and accusations,” “adultery,” and “sexual harassment.”

Ziane has also been pursued since last month in a case of “embezzlement of public funds” related to the financial support provided by the Ministry of Interior to the liberal party he chaired for the 2015 elections.

Ali Reda Ziane confirmed that his father denies these charges and demands “an end to the harassment and persecution against him.”

Ziane, who served as Minister of Human Rights between 1995 and 1996, had long been close to the circles of power. He also worked as a government lawyer in the nineties. However, he gained prominence in recent years for his oppositional views.

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