News summary produced by Claude AI
Ali Lmrabet, a prominent 66-year-old journalist and critic of Morocco’s government, was released from police custody three days after his arrest at Tangier airport. He had returned from Spain, where he had been based for an extended period, when he was detained on Sunday. His release came on Wednesday following pressure from international media freedom organizations including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Lmrabet stated after his release that he considers himself a practitioner of journalism rather than politics, expressing concern that his independent reporting has drawn unwanted attention. The public prosecutor’s office confirmed that an investigation into him remains active, with authorities examining allegations that he made defamatory and insulting statements directed at individuals and institutions. It has not been confirmed whether Lmrabet is now permitted to travel outside Morocco.
Lmrabet has a lengthy history of legal troubles related to his journalism work. He previously published two periodicals—Demain Magazine and the Arabic-language Doumane—before both publications were shut down in 2003. That closure followed his conviction for insulting the monarchy among other charges, resulting in a three-year prison sentence from which he was released under a royal pardon in early 2004. Subsequently, he faced a journalistic work ban lasting from April 2005 to April 2015 after a defamation conviction stemming from his comments regarding displaced individuals from Western Sahara.
In a related development, filmmaker and rapper Mehdi El Youbi was brought before a court in Casablanca on Wednesday. El Youbi was arrested Monday night after being prevented from returning to France, where he had been living since 2017. His supporters attribute his detention to his politically charged musical lyrics and social media activity, viewing his case as part of a broader pattern of crackdowns targeting government critics. International advocacy groups have expressed alarm at what they characterize as an escalating campaign against dissenting voices in the country.