Rif Protests Mark Ten Year Anniversary

Ten years have passed since the death of Mouhcine Fikri triggered a wave of unrest in northern Morocco, yet the region’s political leadership remains largely behind bars. Six prominent figures from the 2016 Hirak movement are still serving sentences. Among them is Nabil Ahamjik, who is serving a 20-year term after his arrest in 2017. His brother Mohamed Ahamjik said the family has endured a long struggle to keep the case in public view.

The protests began in Al Hoceima after Fikri, a fishmonger, was killed in a rubbish truck on October 28, 2016, while trying to retrieve his confiscated catch. The movement grew to include hundreds of arrests after authorities launched a crackdown in late May of the following year. Maati Monjib, a Moroccan historian, described the uprising as one of the most important social movements since King Mohammed VI took the throne in 1999. He argued that the government’s label of separatism was a tool used to discredit the group’s demands for better infrastructure and services.

The state response intensified in July 2017 when riot police dispersed demonstrators in Al Hoceima. This action severely injured Imad el-Attabi, a 22-year-old protester who died the following month. The crackdown expanded beyond the streets to include journalists and activists living abroad. Said El Amrani, a digital creator and former journalist based in Belgium, noted that at least 11 activists have been arrested upon arrival in Morocco since the movement began. He stated that two of these individuals received prison sentences, with one still incarcerated.

Nabil Ahamjik remains in a prison in Tangier. Despite his detention, he completed a master’s thesis on the Rif’s relationship with the state at Mohammed I University in Oujda. He earned a grade of 18 out of 20 and received a recommendation for publication. Last month, he began a 10-day hunger strike after authorities denied him adequate space to work on his doctoral studies. Rights groups have cited allegations of torture and unfair trial standards during the detentions.

The region continues to face economic challenges that fueled the original protests. Youth unemployment stands at 37 percent, and the Rif has the highest number of cancer patients in Morocco, a condition linked to chemical weapons used during the 1921 to 1926 Rif War. El Amrani pointed out that while a new hospital was built, it lacks sufficient medical staff. He added that many young people have left the region for Europe or other Moroccan cities because they feel they have no future.

The anniversary falls during a turbulent year for the kingdom. Last month, Morocco elected its first female prime minister. However, tensions rose this summer when tens of thousands of people attempted to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Many of the migrants were young Moroccans from the Rif. Monjib said the movement’s core pursuit of equality endures, even as heavy state repression has shifted the focus toward demanding the release of political prisoners.