Morocco: A file accuses the “Makhzen” of involvement in synthetic drug trafficking Copy link

Algeria Gate: After footage captured by young Moroccan Yassine El Merabet exposed what the article describes as the brutality of Morocco’s Makhzen regime, images of a Moroccan security officer repeatedly striking a Moroccan migrant with a huge rock as he attempted to flee what the article calls the “hell of Morocco” shocked the world.

Rather than punishing the Moroccan police officer whose actions sparked widespread outrage on social media, the Tangier Court of First Instance sentenced 28-year-old Yassine El Merabet to one year in prison over what authorities described as “digital content published on social media platforms concerning social conditions and irregular migration to Ceuta.”

The public prosecutor’s office prosecuted El Merabet while he was in custody on charges including “incitement to commit misdemeanors and felonies through electronic means” and “insulting public officials and an organized body while carrying out their duties.”

On August 20, El Merabet was arrested at his workplace in Tangier and questioned by the specialized cybercrime unit over what were described as posts published on his Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Algeria Gate: On Monday, the Spanish judiciary decided to open an investigation into the mass entry into the Spanish city of Ceuta, examining the incident from the perspective of a possible attack on Spain’s territorial integrity.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had described the mass incursion as an attack on the country’s territorial integrity. Following this, National Court judge María Tardón asked police to investigate those allegedly behind the incident and requested that the Civil Guard prepare a report on the victims.

After receiving both reports, the judge formally opened an investigation to determine whether the Ceuta incursion constituted a serious attack on Spain’s territorial integrity and whether it could have affected the security or independence of the Spanish state.

The judge also ordered a separate judicial case focusing on the sovereignty and political dimensions of the incident, describing the operation as a “collective violation of Spain’s sovereignty with the deliberate aim of attacking the state.”

A Spanish police report issued the previous week had pointed to Morocco’s involvement in the operation.

The most sensitive element, according to the judge and as reported by Europa Press, concerns what she described as clear and indisputable evidence of support for the operation from Moroccan territory. This, she argued, is reflected in the documented conduct of Moroccan security forces, supported by clear photographic evidence.

Algeria Gate: European Parliament member Estrella Galán of the Sumar party has stated that Morocco is not a reliable partner, calling for a thorough reassessment of relations with the Makhzen regime, particularly in light of its human rights record and its handling of the migration issue.

In an interview with Spanish daily El HuffPost on Monday, Galán sharply criticized the Moroccan authorities, stressing that Morocco “is not a reliable partner” and calling for a fundamental review of relations with Rabat, given its practices on several issues affecting its relations with its partners.

In this context, she stressed that “cooperation does not mean submission,” arguing that this is precisely what Spain is currently experiencing in its relationship with Morocco. According to Galán, the relationship has gone beyond normal cooperation and increasingly taken the form of pressure and political bargaining.

Her criticism directly concerns the migration issue. Galán argues that Morocco cannot dictate how Spain manages its migration policy, nor use migrant flows as a tool of pressure or blackmail through what she describes as deceptive maneuvers.

The European lawmaker also linked the issue to the Makhzen regime’s human rights record. She stated that Morocco “does not respect human rights, neither those of its own people nor those of migrants,” arguing that such practices are incompatible with any role Morocco might be entrusted with in border control.

She is therefore calling for a profound reassessment of relations with Rabat, with respect for human rights placed at the heart of any future cooperation.