“The following statement, published on 30 January 2020, explains the Moroccan judiciary’s threat to close the revolutionary socialist newspaper and website, al-Mounadil-a (‘the Militant’). As the al-Mounadil-a editorial board suggests below, such threats are parts of a wider attack by the state against the the left and progressive forces in the country.

Jailed Movement of the Rif activists; police attacks against those calling for an ‘economic alternative’ in Jerada; the arrests of critical journalists (Hajar Raissouni, Omar Radi); the imprisoning not only of rappers for daring to say ʿash al-Shʿab (‘Long live the People’), but even of their school-aged fans for merely repeating the line. All such incidents over the last period – as reported on and decried in al-Moundail-a – show that the threats against the paper and website are not only serious, but indeed existential.

Clearly, the international left must support the editors, writers and readers of al-Mounadil-a with the same resolve – we cannot match the courage – that they have themselves shown in their support for the ever-growing victims of state repression in the country.”

The head of al-Mounadil/ah newspaper recently received a summons to appear in the Agadir magistrates court regarding the paper’s compliance with the Press Law. 

Compliance involves a number of conditions, including a professional journalist card, in turn requiring social security registration. Meeting all these conditions requires financial capabilities out of the reach of a militant newspaper reliant on returns from sales, the support of its readers and supporters, and the sacrifices of those dedicated to its continuance – something that takes both time and effort. 

Subsequently, a summons arrived