This Monday, June 7, the journalist Soulaimane Raissouni marks his 61st day of hunger strike in his cell in Casablanca where he has been in preventive detention for over a year, under the charge of “ indecent assault and forcible confinement ”.
The state of health of the former editor of the daily ” Akhbar Al Yaoum Is worrying according to his family. In a video shared on social networks, his niece Hajar Raissouni calls for his release and prosecution in a state of freedom. Several journalists, human rights activists and politicians joined this appeal, such as the deputy of the Federation of the Democratic Left (FGD), Omar Balafrej.
” I am addressing all those who have authority, so that Soulaimane Raissouni is prosecuted in a state of freedom, and that he has a fair trial. That’s all we hope for“, Said the deputy of the FGD on the video shared more than 1200 times on social networks.
A teacher by the name of Rachid Zerrouki also expressed his support for the journalist. ” I fully support Soulaimane Raissouni in his fight for press freedom and to have the right to a fair trial “Said the teacher, who held up a sign with the famous slogan” Free Koulchi (Free everyone).
Writer Abdellah Taia also called for saving the life of the journalist on hunger strike, as well as activist Afaf Barnani, filmmaker Yassine Marroccu and activist Khalid El Bakari. All have called for his immediate release and a fair trial.
It should be recalled that the management of the local prison Ain Sebaa1 affirmed on Thursday, May 27, that the state of health of detainee Soulaimane Raissouni is normal, contrary to the unfounded allegations conveyed by his wife, Kholoud Mokhtari.
A sit-in of solidarity with the journalist was also organized on the same May 27, in front of the Oukacha prison in Casablanca for the release of the former editor-in-chief of the daily Akhbar Al Yaoum, in preventive detention. since May 25, 2020. A dozen requests for his release on bail have been rejected by the criminal chamber of the Casablanca Court of Appeal.
There is also the case of journalist Omar Radi, accused of ” foreign funding, undermining the internal security of the State ” and of ” rape“Who was also on a hunger strike before being suspended for health problems. Omar, who is tried by the criminal chamber of the Casablanca Court of Appeal, has always denied the facts with which he is accused. His defense has repeatedly requested that he be provisionally released and thus be able to access his file. But this request has always been refused.
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