Prominent Franco-Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet was taken into custody upon arrival at Tanger airport on July 12, then transferred to Casablanca where he remains detained under investigation for allegedly spreading false information. Press freedom advocates are demanding his immediate release.

a pattern of judicial harassment

Lmrabet, who was entering Morocco from Spain for personal administrative matters, was stopped at Tanger airport and taken to the national judicial police headquarters in Casablanca for questioning. Prosecutors allege multiple outstanding warrants linked to digital publications they claim defamed individuals and state institutions. He faces charges of allegedly disseminating false information deemed harmful to constitutional bodies.

international condemnation mounts

“This arrest sends an alarming signal about the systematic misuse of judicial proceedings to silence critical voices,” stated a senior representative from a leading press freedom organization. “Journalism is not a crime. Morocco’s international commitments to press freedom cannot be reconciled with the criminalization of a journalist whose only crime is exposing uncomfortable truths.”

a lifetime defending press freedom

Lmrabet stands as one of Morocco’s most enduring symbols of independent journalism. In 2003, he founded Demain Magazine and Doumane, two publications that challenged official narratives before authorities shut them down. That same year, he was sentenced to four years imprisonment for “insulting the king” – a conviction later pardoned but which stripped him of his right to practice journalism in Morocco.

Undeterred, Lmrabet continued his work from exile, first in France where he acquired citizenship, then in Spain. His reporting on sensitive topics such as security issues and political dissent has appeared in major Spanish outlets including El Mundo and El País. In recognition of his unwavering commitment, he was named among Reporters Without Borders’ “100 Information Heroes” in 2014. His YouTube channel further amplifies his critical analysis of current events.

Despite official attempts in 2008 to pursue legal action against him in Spain and France, courts in both countries dismissed the cases. Over the past two decades, Lmrabet made multiple visits to Morocco for family reasons without incident, according to his spouse.

Morocco’s press freedom ranking under scrutiny

Morocco currently ranks 105th out of 180 countries in the 2026 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, highlighting ongoing concerns about media freedoms in the kingdom.