The Ali Lmrabet case deserves careful consideration. Not because it definitively closes the debate on freedom of expression in Morocco, but because it could mark a turning point.
For many years, cases involving journalists or opponents critical of the government have often fueled the concerns of human rights defenders. Public opinion has become accustomed to seeing rapid proceedings, prosecutions, and sometimes convictions that fed the criticisms directed at the Kingdom regarding freedom of expression.
In this context, the decision to release Ali Lmrabet after his hearing constitutes, in my view, a significant political event. Everyone knows his positions. For decades, he has been one of the Moroccan journalists most critical of the country’s institutions, including the monarchy. Many might have expected a different outcome.
One element also deserves to be highlighted. Following his hearing, Ali Lmrabet stated to the press that investigators had reportedly told him that his place was not before criminal courts for this type of case, but that issues related to his journalistic activity fell primarily under the competent press authorities. If these remarks accurately reflect how his hearing unfolded, they translate into an approach significantly different from the one for which Moroccan authorities have often been criticized in the past.
Instead of immediate judicialization before ordinary criminal courts, this direction would suggest that a greater distinction is now being made between journalistic expression and criminal offenses. This development, if confirmed in other cases, would constitute significant progress for the rule of law and the protection of press freedom.
A Context of Transformation and Opening
Morocco is currently engaged in a profound economic, diplomatic, and institutional transformation. As major international deadlines approach and the Kingdom strengthens its influence on the global stage, it becomes essential that this dynamic be accompanied by an evolution in practices regarding public freedoms.
This evolution could have an impact that goes far beyond the sole case of Ali Lmrabet. Today, Morocco has more than six million Moroccans living abroad. Deeply attached to their country, they make a decisive contribution each year to its economic development, notably through their investments and financial transfers that reach record levels.
Yet, some Moroccans living abroad still hesitate to return to the country, fearing judicial proceedings or unresolved past disputes. Whatever the individual situations, this perception exists and deserves to be taken into consideration. If Morocco confirms an approach based more on dialogue, the law, and respect for freedom of expression, it will send a strong message to its entire diaspora: that of a Kingdom that unites rather than divides.
The time has perhaps come to initiate a reflection on national reconciliation measures to turn certain pages of the past, in respect of the law and the institutions. Such an approach would allow more Moroccans around the world to reconnect peacefully with their country of origin and participate fully in its development.
Accepting Criticism to Move Forward
The credibility of a State is not measured solely by its infrastructure, its growth, or its diplomatic successes. It is also measured by its capacity to accept criticism, to hear dissenting voices, and to respond through the law rather than repression.
The Ali Lmrabet case can therefore be understood as a positive signal. If this decision is not merely an isolated episode but the beginning of a lasting practice, it will open a new page in the relationship between the State, journalists, intellectuals, opponents, and the millions of Moroccans residing abroad.
This would be excellent news for the Kingdom. For a self-confident Morocco is not afraid of free speech. On the contrary, it welcomes it, confronts it, and draws strength from it to continue progressing.
Of course, there is still a long way to go. International organizations will continue to monitor the situation vigilantly, and that is normal. But one must also know how to recognize signs of progress when they appear.
Let us hope that Ali Lmrabet’s regained freedom is not an exception, but the first milestone of a new political culture where trust in institutions goes hand in hand with respect for freedom of expression, dialogue, and reconciliation with all Moroccans, including those living abroad. This would be beneficial for everyone: for Morocco’s image, for its national cohesion, for its democracy, for journalists, and for the development of the Kingdom.
