Ali Aarrass affair explained
Ali Aarrass is Moroccan-Belgian citizen who was imprisoned in Morocco on charges of terrorism.[1] [2]
He was first arrested in Spain in late 2008 and accused of arms smuggling but was acquitted of these charges there. However Spain extradited him to Morocco in December 2010.[3] [4] According to reports, in addition to the unfair trial, Aarrass was subjected to torture and degrading treatment while imprisoned in Morocco.[4]
In November 2011, Abdelkader Chentouf the Moroccan anti-terrorism judge,[5] sentenced Aarrass to 12 years in prison on the basis of confessions obtained under torture. His imprisonment was the focus of a long campaign by human rights groups and other international NGOs, as well as the Belgium-based "Free Ali" committee.[6] He was released on 2 April 2020,[7] and was reunited with his sister in Melilla before being repatriated to Belgium.
See also
External links
Notes and References
- News: La Belgique doit assurer une protection consulaire à Ali Aarrass dans sa prison au Maroc. 7 February 2014. DemainOnline. 7 February 2014. Baudoin Loos. Baudoin Loos. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221070533/http://www.demainonline.com/2014/02/07/la-belgique-doit-assurer-une-protection-consulaire-a-ali-aarrass-dans-sa-prison-au-maroc/. 2014-02-21. dead.
- News: La Belgique va-t-elle se soucier d'Ali Aarrass?. 7 February 2014. Le Soir. 1 October 2013. Baudouin Loos.
- News: Moroccan man forcibly returned by Spain could face torture. 7 February 2014. Amnesty International. 17 December 2010.
- Web site: State crime and the War on Terror: the trial of Ali Aarrass 18 October 2012. International State Crime Initiative. 7 February 2014.
- Web site: Où en est-on dans l'affaire Ali Aarrass ?. FreeAli.com. 7 February 2014.
- Web site: Ali Aarrass libéré au Maroc . Wahoub Fayoumi . 2 April 2020 . RTBF.
- News: Le Belgo-Marocain Ali Aarrass a été libéré au Maroc . 2 April 2020 . Baudouin Loos . Le Soir.
