Rif National Party Marks Ninth Anniversary of Imad El Attabi’s Death with Rally in Belgium
BY Dr. Hana Saada
The Rif National Party held a commemorative rally in Antwerp to mark the ninth anniversary of the death of Imad El Attabi, while renewing calls for accountability over events linked to the 2017 Hirak Rif protests and highlighting what it described as continuing human rights concerns in Morocco’s Rif region.
ANTWERP, Belgium — The Rif National Party (RNP) organized a protest rally in Antwerp on 19 July to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the death of Imad El Attabi, who died after being shot during the 20 July 2017 demonstrations in Al Hoceima in the Rif region.
According to the party, Imad El Attabi sustained a gunshot wound to the head while participating in a peaceful demonstration calling for the release of political detainees, the lifting of the military presence in the Rif, and greater attention to the region’s social and economic demands.
The demonstration in Al Hoceima drew tens of thousands of participants before security forces intervened to disperse the crowds.
The party referred to a report by the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), which documented serious human rights violations before, during and after the protest, highlighting the excessive and unjustified use of force against both demonstrators and bystanders during one of the deadliest episodes of the Hirak Rif protest movement.
Ahead of the anniversary, the Rif National Party called for broad participation in the Antwerp rally, describing the gathering as a tribute to Imad El Attabi’s memory and to the principles of freedom, dignity and justice, while condemning continuing repression and marginalisation in the Rif.
The party said the anniversary also served as an opportunity to highlight ongoing violations against residents of the region, citing the recent detention of Rif journalist Ali Lmrabet, who, according to the party, was arrested by Moroccan authorities on 12 July 2026 after arriving at Tangier Airport from Barcelona before being released following international pressure from international human rights organisations and global media coverage.
Following his release, Lmrabet, who also holds French nationality, told journalists that he had been subjected to physical abuse resulting in a hand injury and had been denied access to legal counsel during his detention.
The statement also expressed concern over the growing spread of hard drugs across several cities in the Rif, citing human rights and media reports warning that trafficking had reached unprecedented levels and posed a serious threat to social stability.
According to the party, drug trafficking networks have significantly expanded their activities in recent years, stressing that they benefit from extensive influence and official protection.
Yuba El Ghadoui, deputy chairman of the Rif National Party, accused the Moroccan authorities of pursuing what he described as a systematic campaign aimed at destabilising the Rif through the proliferation of narcotics.
He argued that residents of the region had become increasingly aware of a “dirty war” targeting Rif youth and vowed that the population would continue exposing and resisting such practices.
El Ghadoui further stressed that the open sale of narcotics across neighbourhoods and streets in the Rif, in full view of Moroccan security services, had fuelled growing public suspicion over the authorities’ handling of the issue.
He added that, following the failure of efforts to suppress public discontent through the spread of drugs, the authorities had resorted to publicising anti-drug operations in an attempt to convince public opinion that they were combating the phenomenon.
The party also pointed to a series of recent diplomatic and political advances for the Rif cause despite continued pressure on activists, including reports published by a Dutch magazine and questions raised in the Dutch Parliament regarding the surveillance of Rif activists in several European countries.
Among these developments, the party highlighted the opening of several overseas representative offices, including a recently inaugurated office in Girona, Spain, where Mohamed Douhri was appointed head of the local branch. It described the appointment as an important milestone in advancing the Rif national cause and strengthening relations with Spanish political actors.
The statement also recalled the high-level international conference held in Madrid in May to mark the centenary of the end of the Rif Republic, where participants renewed calls for recognition of the Rif people’s legitimate rights, foremost among them the right to self-determination.
— 𝐄𝐍𝐃 —
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