Rif activist begins hunger strike in prison to prepare doctoral thesis

Nabil Ahamjik, one of the leaders of Morocco’s 2016 Rif social protests, has begun an indefinite hunger strike in prison to demand a suitable space for preparing his doctoral thesis. He is serving a 20-year sentence in a prison in Tangier.

Ahamjik’s family said he had exhausted “all requests and communications, written and verbal” to the prison administration. They sought a dedicated space that would provide the minimum conditions needed for study, but received no favorable response.

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all requests and communications, written and verbal

The family described his demand as “a basic right” rather than a special privilege. It said he should have an appropriate research environment, on equal terms with other incarcerated students, and held Morocco’s General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration fully responsible for the situation.

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a basic right

The prison administration confirmed that it received formal notice of the hunger strike on Monday. It justified its refusal by saying that no space currently meets the conditions requested by the activist.

The Rif protests began in Al Hoceima after a fish seller died crushed inside a garbage truck where authorities had thrown his confiscated goods. The demonstrations led to the imprisonment of about 500 people, most of whom have completed their sentences or received royal pardons.

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We hold the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration fully responsible for this situation and demand that it immediately address his request, which we consider legitimate.