After reporting that they have been abducted and tortured, two activists were jailed in Morocco.
Oussama Housne is a member of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH). He reported being abducted and tortured after leaving a protest in solidarity with detained activists. He was burned with a metal rod and sexually assaulted. After posting the news online, Oussama was convicted of slander and false reporting. He now faces three years in prison.
Three days later in Tangiers, human rights and political activist Wafae Charaf was jailed for slander and falsely reporting torture. Wafae reported the torture after having been abducted by unnamed men for several hours. She is also a member of the AMDH and had recently attended a workers' protest. She was beaten and threatened with more violence if she did not stop activist activities.
She was convicted and sentenced to one year in prison following a trial where the court refused to summon key witnesses or disclose phone tapping evidence that was crucial to her conviction.
Please sign the petition to call for the activists' release. We must stand up for justice in Morocco. No one should face imprisonment for reporting torture, especially following unfair trials.
Dear [Decision maker],
No one should face imprisonment for reporting torture. I am appalled to learn that recently two human rights activists have been jailed for reporting abduction and torture. Further, the disregard of key witnesses and denial of crucial evidencial disclosure violates their rights to a fair trial.
[Your comments here]
I call on the National Brigade for the Judicial Police to immediately absolve Wafae Charaf and Oussama Housne of their convictions. We must work toward the end of the culture of impunity in Morocco!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
