Allegedly at the initiative of a leftist party, the European Parliament voted on Jan.19 a resolution on human rights and press freedom in Morocco.
It would be unwise, even foolish, to think that such resolution stems from a genuine concern by a self-righteous body to uphold democracy and human rights in Morocco.
According to Mohamed Salah Tamek, activist and former prisoner, things like the occupation of the Sahara, the marginalization of Rif and the migration management call into question the said resolution. Go figure how these aspects are related to free speech, or how the EU, which has always lauded the Moroccan management of illegal migration, is changing horses in midstream.
Did Europe lose its sense of right and wrong? Was its moral code even real? Obviously not given its media coverage on Ukraine’s war. Tamek also recalled that the bloc banned Russian artists and athletes from taking part in European events. This practice is biased and undemocratic.
On a slightly different note, he reminded the Union that it does, hypocritically, manufacture and sell spywares while falsely accusing Morocco of using one.
Tamek also decried corruption allegations made against the Kingdom while the country was just doing some lobbying at the European Parliament, a very common and legitimate practice, to defend its territorial integrity.
Tamek said that he is perplexed by Europe’s double standards. On the one hand, it celebrates the MeToo movement and stands for women’s rights, and, on the other hand, it literally shrugs off a rape victim because she came forward. “A pity for a bloc falling into decay.”