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Maroc: veteran journalist ali lmrabet detained amid free speech concerns

By nigerreport / July 13, 2026

Morocco: veteran journalist Ali Lmrabet detained amid free speech concerns

Ali Lmrabet, during a recent video recording in Barcelona
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The independent Franco-Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet was detained at Tangier airport upon arrival on July 12, then transferred to Casablanca, where he was held for questioning in connection with an investigation into the alleged dissemination of false information. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is actively advocating for his immediate release.

While entering Morocco from Spain for personal administrative procedures, Ali Lmrabet was intercepted at Tangier airport on Sunday, July 12, and taken to Casablanca for questioning by the National Brigade of Judicial Police. According to the Attorney General, he was the subject of multiple outstanding warrants related to alleged defamatory digital publications targeting individuals and institutions. Held in custody, he faces charges of allegedly spreading false information that undermines constitutional institutions.

“The detention of Ali Lmrabet is deeply troubling and once again highlights the judicial system being weaponized to silence critical voices. We demand his immediate release. Ali Lmrabet has dedicated his career to journalism and the right to information, principles Morocco has publicly pledged to uphold. Criminalizing a journalist’s work is not the rule of law in action—it is justice corrupted into a tool of repression.”

Oussama Bouagila
Director of RSF’s North Africa Bureau

A pioneer of free press

Ali Lmrabet stands as a prominent figure in Morocco’s independent journalism landscape. Founder of the now-defunct weekly publications Demain Magazine and Doumane, he was imprisoned in 2003 for contempt of the king following critical reports on the ruling establishment. Initially sentenced to four years in prison, he was later pardoned by the monarch the following year.

In 2005, he was barred from practicing journalism in Morocco after another conviction for defamation. Rather than abandon his profession, he continued his work from France—where he holds citizenship—and Spain, where he has lived for many years. His reporting has consistently focused on politically sensitive topics in Morocco, including security matters, and he has contributed to major Spanish outlets such as El Mundo and El País. His influence and credibility have earned him international recognition; in 2014, RSF included him in its list of “100 Information Heroes” for his unwavering commitment to press freedom. He also maintains an active online presence through a YouTube channel where he discusses current political affairs.

Despite Morocco’s attempts in 2008 to pursue legal action against Lmrabet in Spanish and French courts, those jurisdictions consistently dismissed the cases. Over the past two decades, the journalist has made multiple trips to Morocco for family reasons without incident, according to his wife, Laura Feliu.

Morocco currently ranks 105th out of 180 countries and territories in RSF’s 2026 World Press Freedom Index.

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