Ismail Lghazaoui
Ismail Lghazaoui is a Moroccan pro-Palestinian human rights defender, activist, and agricultural engineer who peacefully advocates for Palestinian people’s rights, denouncing Morocco’s normalisation of relations with Israel. He has been actively involved in the ‘boycott of Carrefour’ campaign, initiated in response to the call launched by the Palestinian civil society, in particular the BDS movement, to boycott companies as a form of non-violent international pressure on Israel. He has also been involved in the “Mask off Maersk” campaign, a strategy to stop the flow of weapons to Israel. Due to Ismail Lghazaoui’s peaceful activism, the human rights defender was arrested by the Moroccan authorities and sentenced to one year in prison.
Difficulties remain for human rights defenders in Morocco. Journalists and media workers critical of the government face harassment and arrest in some instances, and the country's press law includes prison terms for “maliciously” spreading “false information”. There are reports of torture and ill-treatment of human rights defenders in detention and activists held have been incommunicado. Government officials can arbitrarily refuse registration of independent associations. Groups such as those that advocate on behalf of sub-Saharan immigrants and unemployed university students as well as organizations that defend the rights of Sahrawis and Amazighs (Berbers) face serious restrictions to their work.
