Morocco faces scrutiny over surveillance tactics and political misconduct

A new Amnesty International report, produced with Forbidden Stories and 14 media organizations, has detailed a sophisticated surveillance apparatus used by Moroccan authorities to monitor journalists, activists, and human rights defenders. The investigation, titled ‘We Start With the Verdict: Inside Morocco’s Surveillance Machine’, utilizes testimony from a whistleblower within the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) alongside technical evidence.

Journalist Omar Radi reported being a target of Pegasus spyware, noting physical surveillance and digital signs such as rapid battery drain. The report alleges that surveillance includes hacking phones and computers, using listening devices, and even pre-installing spyware on mobile devices before they are sold to targets. Methods reportedly extend to monitoring individuals at airports and through internet-equipped cafes.

In a separate political development, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) is facing internal turmoil following the arrest of Tangier Mayor Munir El Limouri. El Limouri has been suspended from the party amid allegations of electoral misconduct and potential manipulation during the September 23 voting process. The arrest occurs as the party attempts to negotiate government coalition formations.