Dounia, Adnane Filali: Dramatic consequences of persecution on their mental, physical health require urgent support mechanisms
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- Adnane and Dounia Filali and many other Moroccan activists are facing persecution and harassment from the Moroccan regime. Adnane and Dounia Filali are journalists and human rights activists who uncovered evidence of corruption, abuse of power within the Moroccan government, and Zionist penetration into the country. They have been targeted by the Moroccan Makhzen for their outspoken views.
This persecution by the Moroccan regime is a blatant violation of freedom of expression and human rights. It is important to note that the persecution of Adnane and Dounia Filali and other activists is just one example of a broader pattern of human rights violations in Morocco. The Moroccan government has a long history of suppressing dissent, denying freedom of speech, and limiting political rights. It is crucial that we continue to shine a light on these practices and hold the Moroccan authorities accountable for their actions. Only through international pressure and advocacy can we hope to see real change in the human rights situation in Morocco.
Present on French soil as political refugees benefiting from UNHCR protection in China (under strict mandate Articles 5 and 6 of the 1951 Geneva Convention) following the persecution they are still suffering at the hands of the Moroccan regime and its intelligence services due to their journalistic activities, the Moroccan journalists launched an appeal to the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and government, urging them to assume full responsibility and abide by the 1951 Geneva Convention following the Makhzen regime’s cross-border repression imposed on them with a view to stifling their voices.
The couple listed the methods of persecution used by the Moroccan regime against them, namely; daily defamation resorting to Moroccan pro-regime media outlets, targeting not only their persons but also their families as they systematically publish private information relating to their relatives. Added to that, the couple listed the fabrication of accusations with the aim of questioning their credibility, including, among others, arms and drug trafficking, the sale of counterfeits and sex toys, money laundering, prostitution, incest, tax evasion, terrorism, high treason, etc. These accusations resulted in the lodging of false complaints against them based on the aforementioned false accusations, brought by associations and lawyers hired by the Moroccan regime.
In addition to its many gutter sites, the Makhzen has at its disposal thousands of electronic websites whose task is to flood and pollute social networks with all kinds of propaganda and subversive tools. This secret war takes a far more worrying turn with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). The Moroccan opposition figures are among the victims of these soft war tools. They are the subject of death threats, sexist insults and slander, calls for rape, and sexual discrimination against Dounia Filali through press articles and individuals in the service of the Moroccan regime.
Unable to pursue their journalistic activities properly, the couple left China for good and headed to France. Known for its strong ties with the Kingdom of Morocco, the couple paradoxically opted for France, betting on the European country’s values (liberty, equality, fraternity), respect for European and international laws, and freedom of expression.
Paradoxically, the human rights defenders are still the subject of unprecedented persecution by the Moroccan regime in France, with the complicity of certain French state bodies, depriving them of their legal, human, material, and security rights.
In fact, Dounia and Adnane Filali have been living through unprecedented persecution for two years, which has worrying psychological and physical consequences for their health. The constant pressure, threats, and uncertainty about their legal status and future generate intense stress that affects their mental well-being and their ability to continue their work as journalists and human rights defenders.
In addition to the psychological impacts, the situation of Dounia and Adnane Filali also has negative consequences for their physical health. The deprivation of medical care, housing, and financial assistance as political refugees in France worsens their state of health and makes them even more vulnerable to persecution from the Moroccan regime.
The dramatic consequences of persecution on the mental and physical health of victims underline the importance of setting up support and assistance mechanisms adapted to the specific needs of political refugees and human rights defenders.
As a reminder, the Association for the Defense of Human Rights in Morocco (ASDHOM) slammed the Moroccan regime’ systematic persecution of Moroccan journalists. It denounced the immoral, illegal, and inhumane cross-border repression exercised by the Moroccan regime and its intelligence services against the couple with a view to stifling their voices.
In conclusion, the case of Dounia and Adnane Filali highlights the serious human rights violations committed by the Moroccan regime and the urgent need for the international community to mobilize in support of the victims of political persecution. The media, human rights organizations, governments, and citizens should unite their efforts to denounce the actions of the Moroccan Makhzen and guarantee protection and justice for the victims of persecution.
