Moroccan Activist โฃNasser zefzafi Appears Publicly for first Time As โฃ2017 Arrest
AJDIR, MOROCCO – Nasser Zefzafi, a leading figure in the 2016-2017 โHirak โฃprotest movement, made a publicโข appearance on โSunday, addressing a crowd gathered at his family home following the funeral of his father, Ahmed Zefzafi. โThis marks the first time zefzafi โhas beenโ seen in public since his arrestโ in 2017.
The appearance has reignited hopes for his potentialโ release,โ according to observers. โคZefzafi,โฃ alongโฃ with otherโ activists, wasโค convicted in connection with the Hirak protests, โขwhich โwere sparked by social and economic grievances in the Rif region ofโ Morocco. โ
“People expect somehow โฃthat he isโฃ going to be released. The protestsโ are silent,โข but that feeling remains,” saeid Saรฏdโ Bouddouft, aโข publicist โขclosely involved โฃwith the โคHirakโ protests from the Netherlands.
The gathering at theโฃ Zefzafi family home evoked memories ofโ the 2016 protests. ahlam Benali, an activist and wifeโค of a previously released Hirak activist, followed the funeral via livestream from the Netherlands. “It was a very โspecial moment.Sad, but simultaneously occurringโฃ also happy. Sadness for the loss of his father,โฃ but also joy as โคthe people could see Nasser Zefzafi again,” she stated.
Standing on the roof of his parental home, Zefzafi addressed the crowd, stating, “We haveโค always said, we are willing to sacrificeโ everything in the โคinterest ofโ this โcountry.”โค
Benali described the moment as a feeling of Dรฉjร -Vu, adding, “It wasโ emotional โคto โsee him again in this โway. A relief and aโข sign that the Hirak movement is โstill alive.” She noted the increased calls forโ Zefzafi’s release.
Bouddouft โsuggestedโ the government may โhave โคtaken a โขcalculated risk by granting Zefzafi greater freedom during this leave than previous ones. “He โwill undoubtedly haveโ had instructions for that speech. Itโ will be to be understood thatโ he could speakโ to people, butโข that he was โคnot allowed to โmake it crazy. Although there was little noticeable in โขthe speech.”
During his speech, Zefzafi honored his father’s legacy,โข stating, “My father โis the father of all freeโ men โand women.” Ahmed Zefzafi had been โa vocal advocate for โhis son’s releaseโ and that โof otherโ Hirak โขactivists,and was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year before his death.
social mediaโ platforms are now โcirculating โคimages of mourners holding signs โคreading “Theโ people want โขNasser free,” alongside โcalls for reconciliation and a resolution to the โฃHirak issue.
