Dounia, Adnane Filali, victims of smear campaigns launched by Makhzen’s mouthpieces to stifle their critical voices
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- Morocco’s Makhzen has been at the center of controversy due to its human rights record. The case of Dounia and Adnane Filali, two prominent Moroccan journalists, sheds light on the larger pattern of political repression in the country.
Adnane and Dounia Filali have become the victims of a vicious defamation campaign by the Makhzen in Morocco. This campaign, spearheaded by pro-regime media outlets, has sought to discredit and undermine the reputations of these individuals, who have been vocal critics of the government’s policies and practices.
They are the target of systematic defamation campaigns launched by the Makhzen, which 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 human rights defenders 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.
These smear campaigns aim to discredit their critical voices, undermine their credibility, and hinder their ability to expose the Makhzen’s wrongdoing or advocate for change.
These campaigns involve the dissemination of false claims regarding alleged funding by Algeria, which are baseless allegations.
Added to that are the misleading and distorted narratives about them and 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.
Such tactics seek to damage their reputation, portray them as unreliable sources, and erode public trust in their reporting. The systematic persecution went so far as to include threats and harassment as a means to silence the opposition journalists.
These campaigns against Dounia and Adnane Filali have sparked outrage from both local and international organizations. These organizations have condemned the attacks and shown their support for the journalists.
Local organizations in Morocco have been vocal in their support for Dounia and Adnane Filali. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has issued a statement condemning the attacks and calling for the protection of the journalists. The Moroccan Journalists’ Union (SNPM) has also strongly condemned the smear campaigns, dubbing them “a violation of press freedom.”
The attacks are a blatant attempt to silence critical voices and undermine the freedom of the press in Morocco. It is essential to recognize the importance of a free and independent press in any democratic society and to condemn any attempts to suppress it.
However, despite the baseless and unfounded accusations leveled against them, Adnane and Dounia Filali have remained steadfast in their commitment to promoting democracy, human rights, and social justice in Morocco. Their courage and resilience in the face of such attacks is a testament to their unwavering dedication to the cause of freedom and equality.
