Morocco releases veteran critic Ali Lmrabet, but defamation case continues

Moroccan authorities released veteran journalist and political commentator Ali Lmrabet on July 15 after questioning him over defamation and libel allegations, but prosecutors said the investigation remains open. A Casablanca prosecutor ordered the release after Lmrabet was detained at Tangier airport on July 12 when he returned from Spain.

Lmrabet is 66, a French national, and lives in Spain. He has long been one of Morocco’s most outspoken critics, pressing his attacks on the country’s political system in social media posts and commentary that have repeatedly put him in conflict with the authorities. His case has drawn attention because it sits at the intersection of criminal procedure, political criticism, and press freedom.

Press-freedom groups said the inquiry also involves allegations of disseminating false information that harms constitutional institutions. The International Federation of Journalists called for his release on July 14, and the Committee to Protect Journalists urged Moroccan authorities to immediately and unconditionally free him, describing him as a freelance journalist who has faced decades of pressure over his critical reporting. Lmrabet’s wife said during the detention that he was due to appear before a prosecutor and had traveled from Spain on a personal trip.

The episode is inseparable from Lmrabet’s earlier clashes with the Moroccan state. In 2003, he was jailed after being convicted of offenses including offending King Mohammed VI. Two years later, a Moroccan court banned him from practicing journalism in Morocco for 10 years. CPJ says that conviction stemmed from articles and cartoons about the monarchy, the royal court’s finances, a satirical photomontage using a photo from the king’s wedding, and material on Western Sahara. The court also ordered two weeklies closed.

Morocco’s legal framework for the press has changed, but not enough to end the risk of prosecution. Reporters Without Borders says the country abolished prison sentences for press offenses in 2016, yet criminal prosecutions of critics continued. The organization also says Morocco replaced its National Press Council with a temporary commission in 2023. In RSF’s 2026 World Press Freedom Index, Morocco ranked 106th out of 180 countries, underscoring the environment in which Lmrabet’s release leaves the wider case unresolved.