GENEVA – Geneva Council for Human Rights and Justice GCHRJ condemned on Sunday a Moroccan decree of jailing the blogger, Sufian Al-Nakad, for two years due to expressing his opinions and comments on social media.

GCHRJ said in a press statement that it was deeply concerned about the sentence of a 32-year-old blogger Al-Nakad, in violation of international conventions guaranteeing freedom of opinion and expression.

The Council stated that the verdict breaks the principles of public freedoms by punishing Al-Nakad for publishing opinions about the killing of a young Moroccan woman, Hayat, after the Royal Moroccan Navy opened fire on a secret immigration boat heading to Spain. Al- Nakad defended the Right to life and expressed his anger by wearing black.

GCHRJ pointed out that the imprisonment of blogger Al-Nakad came despite the fact that he did not participate in street protests, but was just active in social media sites where he shared his points of views.

The council denounced the charges against the blogger Al-Nakad concerning “incitement to civil disobedience and defilement of the flag and symbols of the Kingdom.” It stressed that the charges reflect an authoritarian regime based on repression of freedom of opinion and expression and the prohibition of any votes for reform.

GCHRJ confirmed that such a sentence against Al-Nakad is an attempt to intimidate him and all bloggers and activists on social media, forcing them to remain silent and criminalizing their activities. This requires the authorities to cancel the conviction and drop all charges immediately.

The Human Rights Council concluded that the Moroccan authorities should ensure the release of all peaceful protesters, human rights defenders, activists and journalists detained solely for the exercise of their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.