RSF - Reporters sans frontières

07/15/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/16/2026 07:32

Morocco: RSF welcomes release of Ali Lmrabet but remains vigilant as lawsuit continues

Arrested on 12 July upon his arrival in the country, Franco-Moroccan freelance journalist Ali Lmrabet was released on Wednesday, 15 July, by the king's prosecutor at the Casablanca Criminal Court. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes this decision, yet remains vigilant as an investigation into the case, announced by the Public Prosecutor's Office, continues.

"We welcome the release of investigative journalist Ali Lmrabet and the return of his professional equipment. However, this outcome should not overshadow the fact that the investigation against him remains open and that the charges of 'allegedly disseminating digital content deemed defamatory toward individuals and institutions,' which stem from his journalistic work, have not been dropped. RSF will remain vigilant and calls on the Moroccan authorities to dismiss this case outright."

Oussama Bouagila
Director, RSF North Africa

Ali Lmrabet regained his freedom on Wednesday, 15 July, when prosecutors decided to release the journalist after his hearing before the public prosecutor's office. He was arrested on 12 July at Tangier Airport. According to a statement issued by the king's prosecutor on 15 July, the items seized at the time of his arrest have been returned to him, including two computers, a storage device and a mobile phone. The statement adds, however, that the investigation is continuing and that technical forensic examinations will be carried out, after which the "appropriate legal measures" will be taken upon completion of the proceedings.

Now free, Ali Lmrabet told RSF: "I only do journalism, not politics. I am affiliated with no political party or ideology. I practice journalism that complies with internationally recognised professional standards. I have never been convicted of defamation, insult, or harming individuals, whether in France, Spain, or Morocco. The fact that I practice independent journalism, which appears to trouble certain state or security institutions, seems to upset many people. But it's my job - I make my living from it, and I do nothing other than professional journalism."

His wife, Laura Feliu, said, "We believe that the public prosecutor's office made the only appropriate decision. This arrest had no legal basis and was unlawful, including under Moroccan law, given the circumstances in which it was carried out - particularly since the alleged acts were said to have been committed outside Moroccan territory. We now hope that this case will be definitively closed and that Ali will fully regain his freedom, including the ability to enter and leave the country freely, like any other Moroccan citizen."

A leading figure in journalism that holds power to account, Ali Lmrabet was arrested on 12 July at Tangier Airport and transferred the following day to the National Judicial Police Brigade in Casablanca. He was then placed in police custody as part of an investigation into the "alleged dissemination of digital content deemed defamatory toward individuals and institutions."

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

Published on 15.07.2026
RSF - Reporters sans frontières published this content on July 15, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 16, 2026 at 13:32 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]