Morocco insists Amnesty should provide proof for its allegations

Morocco rejected the response sent by Amnesty International’s regional director for MENA region Heba Morayef after the head of the government requested the NGO to provide material proof for its allegations that authorities spied on journalist Omar Radi.

Amnesty’s response relayed the same argument included in its June 22 report assuming that authorities spied on Radi without providing compelling evidence.

The London-based NGO claimed that spyware Pegasus was only accessible by governments and hence concluded that authorities used it without providing the proofs that Morocco asked for.

The response was rejected by the Moroccan government, which insists that Amnesty has yet to provide proof.

“Moroccan authorities are still waiting for a response to the letter sent by head of the government,” legal affairs and international cooperation director at Morocco’s human rights department Hasna Tribek said.

“Moroccan authorities are still waiting for scientific evidence that they required,” she told Moroccan news agency MAP.

She said that the letter by the head of government was sent to London headquarters and should be answered by acting Amnesty chief Secretary General and not by the regional bureau in Tunis.

On Thursday, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said the credibility of Amnesty is at stake as it drags its feet to show evidence while orchestrating a hostile media campaign against Morocco that reflects a hidden agenda.