Paris, France — In a shocking turn of events, Moroccan journalists and political refugees Dounia and Adnane Filali have accused an unidentified assailant of attempting to run them down with a car in an alley in Paris. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the journalists who have been in exile in France, benefiting from UNHCR protection. The couple has long been targeted by the Moroccan regime and its intelligence services due to their journalistic activities.
The terrifying ordeal unfolded on a quiet Parisian street as the journalists recounted how a car deliberately crashed into a trash can just inches away from them before speeding away. Dounia Filali took to Twitter to describe the incident, adding, “Intimidation, attempted murder? We hold France and Mohammed VI responsible for everything that happens to us.”
Dounia and Adnane Filali’s plea for assistance comes against the backdrop of relentless persecution by the Moroccan regime and the dire consequences it poses for their lives. Having fled their homeland to seek refuge in China then in France under the strict mandates of Articles 5 and 6 of the 1951 Geneva Convention, the couple has found themselves ensnared in a web of intimidation and harassment.
The Filali journalists have launched an impassioned appeal to the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and his government, imploring them to fully uphold the 1951 Geneva Convention in response to the Makhzen regime’s attempts to silence their voices. Unfortunately, their pleas appear to have fallen on deaf ears as the Parisian authorities, they claim, have prioritized preserving bilateral relations with Morocco over ensuring their fundamental rights as political refugees.
The heart of the issue lies in mounting evidence obtained by Dounia and Adnane Filali that suggests a distressing complicity between French and Moroccan authorities. Confidential documents in the possession of the journalists corroborate their statements that the French government may be cooperating with their Moroccan counterparts in persecuting them.
In a further twist, the Filalis have also denounced accusations of defamation leveled against them, which they contend is merely a ploy employed by the Moroccan regime to coerce them into abandoning their quest for justice. Their claims align with the findings of a special committee of the European Parliament and human rights organizations, all of which have decried the use of the Pegasus spy program by the Moroccan government. This controversial surveillance tool has been wielded to monitor journalists and activists both within and beyond the borders of Morocco.
