Rabat – Six Moroccan nationals held at Garowe Prison in Puntland, Somalia, say they remain in detention despite being acquitted of terrorism charges two years ago and sentenced to deportation.
One of the detainees, Mohammed El Boussaadi, shared a video message online saying that a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited them on January 3 and informed them that their case files and legal documents had been submitted to the Moroccan embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
He added that the Red Cross official told them that all administrative procedures are complete, and that they are only waiting for travel permits and plane tickets to return to Morocco. They added that Moroccan authorities have agreed to cover the costs of their travel documents.
El Boussaadi appealed directly to King Mohammed VI to intervene in their case. “Two years ago, we were acquitted and sentenced to deportation … All our files are ready. We are only missing travel permits and plane tickets,” he said.
He described harsh conditions in Somalia, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, which is fast approaching. According to the detainee, access to food and water is limited, which makes daily life extremely difficult.
“Our situation here is very hard. Water is scarce and food is limited. We are suffering greatly, especially being far from our families and our homeland,” he said.
The detainees also called on the Moroccan public to help raise awareness of their situation by sharing their story online so it reaches responsible authorities.
The video has sparked strong reactions on Moroccan social media. Many users expressed shock that the men remain detained despite being acquitted and called for urgent government action.
Several commenters urged Moroccan authorities to speed up the repatriation process, especially given the detainees’ conditions.
Others, however, questioned how the men ended up in Somalia in the first place. Some users said the public deserves clearer information about the circumstances of their travel and arrest.“This sounds suspicious! Why go there? Something doesn’t add up here,” a social media user said.
