"The Kingdom of Morocco, which has been the target of an unjust international defamation campaign, insists on obtaining an official answer from this Organization which claims to defend human rights: a response which includes all the physical evidence that it has used to undermine Morocco," said Amzazi in a statement read after the cabinet meeting.
Concerned to get an official response from Amnesty International, the head of government sent a letter to the Organization to get explanations about these allegations and accusations, which it is trying to bring against Morocco without evidence, added Amzazi at a joint press conference with Minister of State in charge of Human Rights and Relations with Parliament El Mostapha Ramid, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad Nasser Bourita.
The Moroccan government affirms that the Kingdom of Morocco will take the necessary measures to defend its national security, as well as to enlighten the national and international public opinion about these rejected allegations.
The Kingdom of Morocco reiterates its categorical rejection of Amnesty International's latest reports, given that they are dictated by an agenda unrelated to the defense of human rights as universal values, citing in this regard "its two reports published in October 2019 and in June 2020, which intentionally run against history and the orientations of the international community which has always welcomed and appreciated Morocco's efforts and initiatives especially in the human rights field.
The Kingdom of Morocco is well aware of the motives behind this systematic relentless acts and its instigators who spare no effort to harm the achievements of the nation in relation to human rights and development, said the government.
The Moroccan authorities had asked Amnesty International to present the supposed evidence, which it adopted to prepare its report of June 22, 2008, comprising serious and tendentious accusations against the Kingdom of Morocco, in relation to its allegations that a Moroccan journalist was the victim of a spying operation by the Moroccan authorities via multiple attacks on his phone using cutting-edge technology from a foreign company.
After five days, and as expected, Amnesty International did not give any response or proof about the truth of its allegations, notes the government, adding that faced with this delay which reflects Amnesty's confusion and complicity, the government of Morocco can only place this report in its real context, namely:
- The systematic and continuous relentless acts for years against the interests of Morocco and the disregard for the advances and achievements it has made and which are recognized worldwide, especially in the field of human rights. This relentlessness by Amnesty has exceeded all limits through its attempt to set itself up as a political actor on the Moroccan scene, manipulated by known parties harboring hatred towards Moroccan national institutions.
- By trying to instrumentalize the situation of a Moroccan trainee journalist, AI claimed that the latter was the subject of the above-mentioned spying operation. This same trainee journalist is undergoing a judicial investigation for alleged breach of state security, because of his ties with a liaison officer from a foreign country. The Kingdom reserves the right not to disclose this officer's real identity, in accordance with the customs of the international community. This officer was behind leaks in July 2013 about his real identity and he has been working under diplomatic cover since 1979 in several conflict zones around the world.
The Council of Government, convened under the chairmanship of the Head of Government Saâd Dine El Otmani, debated at the end of its meeting the Amnesty International's report dated June 22.