Press release May 10, 2015
Morocco Tries to Block Report on Domestic Surveillance
Freedom House releaseed the following statement after Morocco’s Interior Ministry brought criminal charges against local activists for sharing a report by the UK-based NGO Privacy International on government surveillance in the country.
Washington
In response Morocco’s Interior Ministry bringing criminal charges against local activists for “preparing, promoting and distributing” a report by the UK-based NGO Privacy International on government surveillance in the country, Freedom House released the following statement:
“The prosecution of human rights defenders for nothing more than shedding light on electronic surveillance is an attack against the fundamental right of free expression,” said Daniel Calingaert, executive vice president. “The report on surveillance should be the basis of public debate about government actions. The harassment of human rights defenders and nongovernmental organizations such as the Moroccan Digital Rights Association (ADN) should end immediately.”
Morocco is rated Party Free in Freedom of the World 2015, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2015, and Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2014.