Morocco’s Double Standards on Freedom of Expression: Defending Boualem Sansal While Silencing Aziz Ghali

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | December 17th, 2024 — In a revealing display of selective outrage, Morocco’s state apparatus and affiliated media outlets have once again exposed their double standards on freedom of expression. While Moroccan voices fervently defended controversial Algerian-born French writer Boualem Sansal in the name of free speech, they swiftly turned their arrows toward Moroccan human rights activist Aziz Ghali, whose only “offense” was echoing the United Nations’ call for a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara.

Aziz Ghali, President of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), ignited a firestorm after a video circulated on social media showing him reaffirming the association’s consistent stance. Responding to a question about Western Sahara, Ghali stated unequivocally, “The association’s position is clear: we support the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.” Predictably, this declaration did not sit well with Morocco’s ruling elite, triggering a coordinated backlash across political and media platforms.

Describing Ghali’s remarks as “dangerous,” a journalist attempted to corner the rights activist. Calm and undeterred, Ghali elaborated: “This is not dangerous; it’s our position. Ever since Morocco entered negotiations with the Polisario Front, our stance has been that a negotiated solution, one that satisfies all parties and avoids further war, is essential.” Rejecting the monarchy’s favored ‘autonomy plan,’ he further questioned, “If autonomy is the sole solution, why then negotiate? Negotiations imply ongoing discussions, and the issue remains unresolved. Our position is for a fair solution, not one imposed at the expense of any party.”

The fallout from Ghali’s statements was swift and severe. Unverified reports surfaced claiming that Moroccan security forces had arrested him—rumors amplified by the nation’s tightly controlled media landscape. Although the Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet, speaking from exile, later denied these allegations, the smear campaign against Ghali continued unabated. State-aligned outlets and social media trolls unleashed a barrage of accusations, labeling him a “traitor” and alleging ties to Algeria—a predictable attempt to discredit dissenting voices in a region where Western Sahara remains a red line.

Prominent regime-affiliated figures took turns denouncing Ghali’s position. Individuals described as “human rights activists” accused him of having “lost his moral compass” and claimed his stance “heralds the loss of public respect.” One such figure, Mohamed El-Zahari, went further, asserting that Ghali’s words “change nothing” about the monarchy’s claim that Western Sahara is an “integral part of Morocco.” Such orchestrated condemnations underscore a chilling climate for free thought when it runs contrary to state narratives.

This episode stands in stark contrast to Morocco’s vocal outcry following Algeria’s actions against Boualem Sansal, the divisive writer whose remarks—as French historian Benjamin Stora recently noted—lacked any historical or political grounding. At the time, Morocco’s media machinery cried foul, accusing Algeria of silencing dissent and suppressing freedom of expression. Yet, when Aziz Ghali voiced a position consistent with international law and the United Nations’ own resolutions, the Moroccan regime revealed its intolerance for internal dissent. The hypocrisy could not be more glaring.

The coordinated attacks on Ghali—a respected voice in Moroccan civil society—expose a deeper issue within the kingdom: a calculated suppression of any dialogue that challenges the state’s entrenched rhetoric on Western Sahara. For decades, the monarchy and its loyalists have maintained that the 2007 autonomy plan is the only acceptable resolution, dismissing calls for a referendum as treasonous. Yet Ghali’s statement highlights a fundamental truth: negotiations presuppose compromise and acknowledgment that no solution has been finalized.

Morocco’s strategy of labeling dissenters as “agents of Algeria” is neither new nor convincing. It is a tired tactic designed to divert attention from legitimate questions surrounding Western Sahara’s status and Morocco’s own contradictions. The kingdom cannot claim to champion freedom of expression while simultaneously silencing voices that challenge its stance on one of the most sensitive geopolitical issues in the region.

This hypocrisy was further illustrated in the starkly different treatments of Boualem Sansal and Aziz Ghali. While Sansal’s statements—which lacked both nuance and credibility—were celebrated under the guise of defending intellectual freedom, Ghali’s reasoned and principled call for self-determination led to a campaign of vilification and censorship.

As the dust settles on this latest episode, the Moroccan regime’s response serves as a stark reminder of its priorities: preserving its political narrative at any cost, even if that means sacrificing the very freedoms it claims to uphold. Aziz Ghali’s ordeal is not merely an isolated incident; it is emblematic of the broader suppression faced by those who dare to speak uncomfortable truths. When the veil falls, the contradictions of Morocco’s approach to free expression are laid bare for the world to see.

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