urgent call for immediate release of moroccan filmmaker and rapper
- human rights defenders
Since July 13, 2026, El Mahdi Lyoubi, acclaimed Moroccan filmmaker and musician, has been held in custody following an unexplained travel ban. His case has ignited serious concerns about artistic freedom and free expression in Morocco. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), through the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, alongside a coalition of cultural institutions, professional associations, journalists, academics, writers, artists, and human rights defenders, are calling for his immediate release.
July 21, 2026. Born in 1992 in Salé and based in Marseille since 2017, El Mahdi Lyoubi trained at La Fémis and has built an internationally recognized career as a filmmaker. His documentary short film Marseille, 14 juillet has been featured in prestigious festivals worldwide, including New Directors-New Films (MoMA, New York), Sheffield DocFest, Kerala International Film Festival, Escales documentaires, the Franco-Arab Film Festival of Noisy-le-Sec, the Tarifa African Film Festival, and the Thessaloniki Film Festival. He is currently developing his first feature-length documentary, a project selected in 2025 by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC). As a musician known as Mehdi Black Wind, he has been active in Morocco’s music scene since the early 2010s, creating works that tackle social justice and freedom of expression. In September 2025, he performed at the L’Boulevard festival in Casablanca, drawing over 50,000 attendees.
On July 10, 2026, as he prepared to return to Marseille after a family visit and location scouting for his upcoming documentary, El Mahdi Lyoubi was informed at Rabat-Salé Airport that he was barred from leaving the country. No reasons were provided for this decision.
Prevented from boarding his flight to France, he was escorted to a police station in Salé, where authorities were equally unable to clarify the situation. He was issued a summons to appear before the National Brigade of Judicial Police (BNPJ) in Casablanca on Monday, July 13, 2026.
After a full day of questioning, he was placed in custody that evening. Relatives were only informed late and informally that his arrest might be linked to social media posts, though no specifics were given. His initial court appearance was scheduled for Wednesday, July 15.
After being presented to the prosecutor and a judge, El Mahdi Lyoubi was remanded in custody at Oukacha prison, awaiting a hearing set for July 22. This process unfolds against the backdrop of a nationwide lawyers’ strike, preventing him from accessing legal representation. To date, his lawyers have been unable to meet with him or review his case file. His family has also been denied visitation rights.
A troubling escalation against artistic expression.
El Mahdi Lyoubi’s detention is not an isolated incident. Since late 2025, several Moroccan artists have faced prosecution or convictions for their creative work or online activity. In November 2025, rapper Jawad Asradi, known as Pause Flow, was arrested and held in pretrial detention over lyrics in his songs before receiving a suspended three-month prison sentence in June 2026 for insulting a constituted body. Rapper Hamza Raid was similarly arrested in Casablanca and sentenced to six months in prison with sursis. In March 2026, 20-year-old rapper Souhaib Qabli was handed an eight-month prison term for insulting a constitutional institution and spreading false information. In February 2026, film distributor Zineb Kharroubi received a six-month suspended sentence for inciting crimes or offenses via electronic means.
While these cases differ in their specifics, they reveal a disturbing pattern: the increasing criminalization of artistic expression. Yet, Article 25 of Morocco’s Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, opinion, and expression in all its forms. This fundamental text, alongside Morocco’s international commitments, underscores the gravity of the situation.
These developments coincide with the GenZ 212 protest movement, which emerged in late 2025. Coordinated largely online, the movement’s demands included better access to healthcare and education, anti-corruption measures, and freedom of expression.
Believing that artistic and expressive freedoms are essential to a vibrant cultural and democratic society, the signatories of this open letter urge Moroccan authorities to:
- – Ensure El Mahdi Lyoubi’s full procedural rights under the Moroccan Constitution, national law, and international obligations, including unhindered access to legal counsel;
- – Promptly review all restrictive measures imposed on him to ensure they are legally grounded, serve a legitimate purpose, and comply with principles of necessity and proportionality;
- – Guarantee that his case proceeds in full accordance with fair trial standards and Morocco’s constitutional and international human rights obligations;
- – Strengthen conditions for artists and cultural actors to carry out their work freely and engage in public debate without fear, fostering an environment that respects pluralism and diversity in artistic and cultural expression;
- – Release El Mahdi Lyoubi immediately and unconditionally.
We remain vigilant about this case and open to constructive dialogue with the competent authorities.
